Changes
by gabs88
Summary: When Arizona's brother dies in a car crash with his wife, she is named guardian of his two children. What does this mean for the life of someone who never wanted her own kids, let alone anyone elses?
1. Chapter 1

**Title: **Changes  
**Author: **gabs88  
**Pairing: **Callie/Arizona  
**Summary: **When Arizona's brother dies in a car crash with his wife, she is named gaurdian of his two children. What does this mean for the life of someone who never wanted her own kids, let alone anyone elses?  
**Rating: **T  
**Disclaimer: **All characters belong to ABC/Shonda Rhimes.  
**Note: **So I was going to take a break, but then this came to me.

If you've read my other story, you'll know I don't rush things. This will be a bit slow in the C/A start up area as Arizona will be the main focus for a few chapters :) Just a heads up before you start. I hope you like the new premise-the C/A area of this story will be less angsty than my last one ;).

Would love to hear your thoughts.

Oh, and I don't speak lawyer-ese.

**Changes  
Chapter One**

The day Arizona's world fell apart, she'd been planning a holiday.

She wanted four weeks through Europe, just her and her girlfriend Jayde, the sun, drinking, dancing and, preferably, a lot of sex. She'd gotten home late from the hospital to an empty flat, Jayde apparently still tied up in a new case she had started on as newly appointed partner at her firm. Arizona had poured herself a glass of wine and sat down at her lap top, smiling at the back ground photo Jayde had switched it to. It was of the two of them, grinning, almost luminescent faces surrounded by a sea grinning kids in Africa. It had been taken on a trip they'd done through the country two years ago, one that had gotten Arizona involved in a clinic she still went back to on the odd occasion to donate her time to pro bono.

The two of them lived for their jobs, for the joy they got from travel and for each others company. Jayde was power hungry, cut throat. She was a dream to watch in the courtroom, known for her incredible cross questioning and closing speeches. It was a rare day she didn't win. They'd met three years ago at a mutual friends party and somehow, the two women who didn't settle down for anyone, had settled down for each other. There'd been heart broken lesbians everywhere in Maryland. It was easy: their wants and needs were in symmetry with each others. They supported each others love of their careers. When they returned from this trip, they'd talked about starting to look at an apartment to buy together.

Arizona sipped her wine and opened up her favourite site to book hotels. They'd decided on five stops, with the longest stop over in Spain. Flights were booked and paid for, they just needed to sort out their accommodation and in a month, they were taking some much needed leave. They'd both been promoted within weeks of each other, the youngest in their fields to reach such promotions-Jayde to Partner and Arizona to Attending, at thirty two and thirty one respectively, and both had begun to feel the need for a break.

Two incomes, no kids. Just the way they liked it.

She'd started to get excited, almost wriggling in her seat at the thrill of it all, as she begun to book accommodation. She'd just clicked 'confirm' at an amazing villa in Tuscany when her mobile rang.

She raised her eyebrows at the offending item, glancing at her watch as she drained the last of her glass.

1147pm? Who on Earth would call at 1147pm? The hospital would page. Jayde was anti phone conversation for some unknown reason and only ever text her if she could help it. Arizona picked up her phone and frowned at the number she didn't recognise. Raising the phone to her ear, she answered.

"Hello?"

And that, right there, was when her whole world fell apart.

The next thing Arizona really remembered was Jayde hovering over her.

"Arizona? Hon?" Hands cupped her cheeks, tugged the almost empty wine bottle out of her grasp, "Arizona? What's happened?"

She could only stare dumbly at the floor. What had happened? Everything had just happened. Hands now tugged at her own, pulling them off her knees where she'd grasped them to her chest.

"Arizona! You're starting to scare me. What's happened?"

The jolting of her feet falling off the couch finally seemed to jar her. She blinked once and raised her look to Jaydes, eyes shimmering, cheeks dry.

She licked her lips. Jayde really did look worried.

"Tim is dead."

The look on Jaydes face, the shock and then the understanding and then the pity-even that wasn't enough to make Arizona become completely undone. Instead, she seemed to become more numb. She let Jayde pull her against her chest, revelled in the feeling of fingers raking through her hair, lips pressed to her temple.

Jayde took care of everything.

She was fantastic in a crisis.

Arizona let herself sit on the couch and stare at things, nursing more wine, while Jayde walked around on her phone and organised. She swigged from the bottle, spare hand clasped between her knees, and stared mutely while Jayde booked flights to Seattle for that next morning, while she called both their employers, explaining the situation and saying they'd need leave. Arizona had whipped her head up when Jayde had called the firm after speaking to Hopkins, surprised Jayde would leave work. Jayde had kept talking, a soft look on her face, and walked up to Arizona, hand resting against her head and pulling it against her stomach, fingers back in her hair.

She'd hung up, taken Arizona's face between hers and almost looked exasperated, "Of course I'm coming." She'd kissed her, Arizona's hand raising up and fingers burying in Jaydes pixie cut, pulling her against her mouth in desperation.

They'd broken apart, gasping, and Arizona spoke for the first time in half an hour, "Are you done organising?"

Jayde had nodded, "We fly in to Seattle at ten am tomorrow morning. The Colonel will pick us up, your Mum will stay at home with the kids."

Arizona's face had crumbled, "Oh, God, his kids."

Jayde pressed their foreheads together, dropping her phone and falling to her knees, pulling Arizona against her. Arizona clung, still unable to cry. She pulled back, "No more phone calls?"

Jayde shook her head.

Arizona pulled her up and in to the bedroom, clothes falling in a trail behind them. She couldn't sleep, she couldn't think. She needed to be naked and sweaty and to bury herself in something that would stop the thoughts screaming through her mind.

The way her Mother had purely said her name on the phone, voice cracking, and then silence before only sobs racked through the line. The phone had been handed to her father, who told her.

Her brother was dead. So was his wife of ten years. A drunk driver texting on his mobile, almost a bad television campaign. All three killed instantly. They'd been on their anniversary dinner.

The Colonel had relayed the information like he was presenting a report.

Then his voice had cracked and she thought he may have sobbed, but it was hard to tell over her mothers uncontrollable noises in the background.

It was a nightmare.

She'd told them she'd be there tomorrow.

And then, because none of them knew what else to do, they'd hung up.

And Arizona had grabbed the bottle of wine and retreated to the couch.

The next few days were an incredible blur of emotion.

Her mother was falling apart at the seams, her father stoic and hiding his face behind a glass of scotch. He'd picked them up from the airport, and as Arizona had walked towards him, Jayde a few steps behind, she had seen a crack in his facade, saw his face begin to almost fall in on itself before he stood himself taller, resting a hand on her shoulder and giving it a squeeze.

"Arizona." He had said by way of greeting.

And she, too, had stood a little taller, given a tight lipped smile, "Dad."

She resisted the urge to launch into his arms, to bury her face in his neck and breath in his smell and have him wrap his arms around her while she sobbed. She resisted becoming five years old again, because that was not who she was, not who he wanted her to be. She was a good man in a storm, and right now the gale force winds were rocking her entire family.

He had taken her bag and they had walked, all three of them, Jaydes fingers trailing down her back, side by side to his car. The rain had poured, one of the many reasons Arizona was not a fan of Seattle, and they drove carefully through the streets.

Her mother had fallen on to Arizona and grabbed her like a life line, sobs hot against her cheek and fingertips digging into her skin. Arizona had wrapped her arms around her and ran her hand along her hair, making soothing noises, comfortable in a position when she finally knew what she was meant to do.

"Na!"

The cry was delighted, filled with excitement, and Arizona almost flinched at the contrast of the sound against the noises her own Mother was making. Barbara had taken a shuddering breath and Arizona felt her tense, pulling herself together.

The both looked behind her in the hallway to see Toby, all of fifteen months, making his was step by step down the stairs, ratty blue blanket clasped in one hand, the other clinging to the rail as he made his way down, grinning around his pacifier. Arizona had smiled, the first real one in twenty four hours, at the little boy who was a spitting image of his father. Her heart ached even as she did it. Blonde hair, bright blue eyes and a slight tan to his skin Arizona had missed out on. His dimples showed around the pacifier and Arizona took two long strides towards the bottom of the stairs, arms wide and he practically jumped into them. His little arms wrapped around her neck and his legs around her middle and he giggled as she squeezed him tightly.

He pulled back, blanket clasped to his chest, other hand coming up to pull out the pacifier with a pop. He looked at her seriously, smile gone, "Na." He said, with a nod. Her name really was a mouthful for tiny children. He patted her face, pacifier poking her cheek, then broke into another smile. "Stay!"

Arizona nodded, smiling at him even as she felt the urge to throw up, it was all too much. He had no idea his world had just turned upside down, "Of course I'm staying, Tobes. I've missed you!"

She squeezed him to her again and he'd wiggled in her grasp, already wanting to go down and run around on his legs filled with never ending energy.

She let him slide out of her grasp and he grabbed her hand, tugging her into the lounge. Arizona looked up at her Mother, pretending to not see the fresh tears on her cheeks, "Where is Ella?"

Barbara indicated upstairs with her chin, "She's gone very quiet."

Arizona had untangled herself from Toby with promises to return, who ran forward to a pile of blocks, either to demolish or create, and made her way upstairs. She stopped and turned, looking at Jayde, "You okay here?"

Jayde had smiled slightly and nodded, "Barbara and I will have some tea."

Arizona nodded absently, already making her way up the stairs.

Ella was an incredibly chatty child. An incredibly chatty child who loved her aunty. At seven years old, she'd been the surprise that had come into her brothers life when he and his fiancé were twenty five. The surprise that had turned her jokster, loud brother into a ball of sap who looked at his tiny daughter like he'd destroy mountains for her. Arizona had seen the shift in him when she was born. He became a father when he held the tiny sleeping bundle. He had missed the birth, but had managed to get three months of leave from Iraq four weeks after it, and he returned to Iraq with a new love of his life.

Her brother had survived a war that claimed thousands only to be taken out by a drunk asshole in a car.

The world was a shitty place, sometimes.

Arizona swallowed heavily and paused at the room her parents kept for the kids, taking in a deep breath. She knocked and pushed the door open, "Ella?"

She didn't answer her. Arizona glanced around the room, single bed all made up in pink in the corner, porta cot along the wall, toys everywhere.

She heard a hiccup and her sight zeroed in on the pink converse sticking out from under the bed. She almost smiled: Arizona had brought her those shoes for her seventh birthday five weeks ago. Tim had laughed and rolled his eyes when he saw them. It was the last time Arizona had seen him, flying in for two nights for Ellas birthday.

Arizona crawled under the bed, laying on her back and wriggling under it. Ella was still, staring stoically at the springs over there head. Arizona lay right next to her, resisting the urge to pull her into a hug. Her strawberry blonde hair was a mess around her head, her green eyes, exactly like her mothers, focussed on not looking at Arizona. The sprinkle of freckles over her nose had gotten even sweeter than when Arizona had seen her.

She felt her heart clench. She loved these kids, she loved being an Aunty, had always felt so connected to them. And now, here they were, parentless and living with their grandparents. A seven year old who would forever remember feeling abandoned, and a fifteen month old who wouldn't remember anything.

"Hey, Ella Bella." Arizona said softly.

Ella continued to stare straight up. Arizona wasn't brilliant at this. She could deliver terrible news to parents and knew just what to say, how to act. She could smile at a child in physical pain and then take them to the OR and make them better. She could play games with kids, entertain them. She loved to sit with her niece and nephew and read them stories for a few hours, to play with them, to make them giggle. But then she'd hand them back to her brother and Sally and return to her life. She didn't know how to do _this._ How to comfort a seven year old who had just lost her parents.

She lifted a hand and pushed a lock of hair behind her ear.

And that was all it took before her little face crumbled and she burst in to tears, turning in to Arizona's arms. Reacting, Arizona wrapped her arms around her thin frame and pulled her against her, running her hands through her hair. She sobbed, breath coming out in gasps.

"Our class hamster died last year. He never came back."

Arizona felt her throat tighten, and she squeezed her tighter to her.

"Does that mean Mummy and Daddy aren't coming back, too?" Her voice hiccupped over every word.

Arizona didn't know what to say. She went with the truth, "No, they're not, honey."

And she held her.

####

The funerals, one day after another, were beautiful and hideous all at the same time.

Ella clung to her grandparents and to Arizona in turn, eyes wide and barely speaking a word.

At Sally's funeral, Arizona and Jayde had to take Toby outside to look at the trees, the tiny boy not understanding and wanting to play.

Sally's parents barely spoke a word to their entire family, saying hello to the kids and retreating quickly.

Arizona served more bland food at the wake than she thought possible.

Jayde ghosted around her, offering comfort where she could, which was hard to give to someone who refused to take it. Arizona didn't want to talk, she purely wanted to act on this feeling swirling in her gut, something Jayde was more than happy to provide, she herself not overly good with the speaking. Whenever Arizona pulled her to her, crushing their lips together, she almost looked relieved. Five days in her parents house and they learnt to be quiet.

Arizona was at a loss when people asked how she was doing, when Jayde looked at her in the middle of the night and said, "Babe, you have be feeling _something_ you want to talk about?" Arizona rolled on to her side, pulling Jaydes arm across her middle and pretending to fall asleep.

What would she talk about?

Her brother was dead. Her only sibling had been killed. She didn't have words for that.

They had been more than siblings, they'd been best friends. Having a father in the Marines meant they moved, a lot more than kids should probably be moved. Being shipped from new school to new school, sometimes they never bothered to even try to make new friends, instead hanging out with each other, inventing whole worlds around themselves. Not even a full twelve months between them, they were often mistaken for twins. It was a bond that hadn't faded as they'd gotten older.

She wasn't ready to not have her best friend.

How would she talk about the look in her mothers eye? Or the scotch on her fathers breath? About how Ella was still quiet, pushing her food around her plate and barely eating. About how poor Toby had started to pick up on something being wrong, becoming clingy and confused. He was often calling for Mama and Da, looking confused when it was his grandmother hovering over him before breaking in to the grin he was so good at.

How did she talk about how she dreaded the lawyers visit tomorrow to go over the will. Not wanting to watch her mother break down and her father stare stoically as her son and daughter in laws last Will and Testament was read.

And how did she talk about how it felt like a part of her had gone when Tim died, too?

####

The lawyer sat on the couch across from them, drinking tea provided by Barbara, who sat on the two seater, Daniel ramrod straight next to her. Arizona was seated on the armchair, Jayde perched on the arm of it. Ella was hidden in her room, Toby asleep on the couch between Barbara and Daniel.

The lawyer spoke, reading things officially and in a monotonous voice. Arizona barely listened, just nodding, not knowing why she needed to be here for this. Jayde would tell her what was going on, this was her area of expertise. One look at Barbara and her tearful expression made her remember why.

"The will is summed up fairly easily. Arizona Robbins is to be left the house in Seattle, car and all assets, both financial and material, are to be transferred in to her name."

Arizona blinked, "I'm sorry. What?"

Jaydes hand, that had been rubbing gently up and down her back, stilled.

The lawyer kept going, "Custody of Ella and Toby Robbins is to go to one Arizona Robbins, as agreed by the biological parents."

Arizona felt her mouth fall open. She blinked again.

The lawyer, stupid bald man, looked up from his papers and seemed surprised to see the look on her face, "Timothy said he spoke of this with you?"

"Uh-"

Arizona vaguely recalled a conversation.

_"If I die, you'll take the kids, right?"_

_Arizona had spun on her bar stool, raising an eyebrow at him, "We're here toasting to the birth of your first kid, and you're already talking plural?"_

_"Oh, I'll have more. Have you seen that kid? I make good kids. It's imperative I produce more, little sister."_

_Arizona had snorted, "Oh, yeah, you owe it to man kind."_

_"Glad you agree. Now, that's a yes then? I won't have my kids going to Sally's parents, they're terrifying. Hell, even Sally doesn't want to go near her parents."_

_"Mum and Dad can raise them. Besides, you're not dying."_

_"Mum and Dad!? I love them, but they're old and kids don't need old. And Dad's great-but he's not warm, Arizona. It was just me and you growing up. So that leaves just you."_

_Arizona threw back a shot and slid one over the bar to Tim, "Right, yeah, I'd be great with kids."_

Arizona stared at the lawyer, mouth still open. _Timothy Robbins, that was not a conversation about me raising your children in your absence._

She suddenly felt irrationally pissed off Tim wasn't there to throttle.

Arizona glanced at her parents who didn't look at all surprised, then up at Jayde, who was staring at the lawyer looking horrified.

Her world just kept falling apart.

####


	2. Chapter 2

**Title: **Changes  
**Author: **gabs88  
**Pairing: **Callie/Arizona  
**Summary: **When Arizona's brother dies in a car crash with his wife, she is named gaurdian of his two children. What does this mean for the life of someone who never wanted her own kids, let alone anyone elses?  
**Rating: **T  
**Disclaimer: **All characters belong to ABC/Shonda Rhimes.  
**Note: **Wow! Such a great response :) Thanks everyone for reviewing. So appreciated. I hope you continue to enjoy :)

Any reference to other storylines/movies etc was unintended ;)

**Changes  
Chapter Two**

Arizona didn't think it was healthy to be so angry at your dead brother, but she was.

Which was nice, because it stopped the feeling that had been threatening to overtake her from winning. The feeling that her chest was restricted, stopping her from taking a breath in. The feeling that everything was spinning while she stood still. The feeling that over took her when she watched her father close his study door, or when she caught her mother staring vaguely at a wine glass, hands covered in drying dish water. It stopped the feeling that she was going to choke on the lump in her throat as she watched Toby sit in his sisters crossed lap with a book, saw Ella grasp the cover, arms encircling the tiny boy. Watched how he gripped his blanket to himself as he leant back against her chest, looking up and patting her cheek as she spoke.

The anger made all of that hurt less. She was angry he'd put her in this position when he knew how she felt about having kids. That he never really took the time to talk it over with her, but had apparently found the time to mention it to their parents. That he thought _she'd_be a good person for this role. She wasn't a mother. She didn't want to be one. And while she knew she wouldn't be expected to be the kids mother, and she would never want to even try and take that role, that she would be their full time care giver. She liked her life, she didn't want it to change.

And mostly, she was pissed off that Tim was dead and she couldn't even yell at him.

And being angry at Tim was easier than being sad about Tim.

Jayde had disappeared inside herself and had to fly home the afternoon after the reading of the will. It was three days after the funerals and they'd both been off work a week, and Jayde really couldn't be away much longer legitimately. Arizona drove her to the airport, both staring numbly at the road, not long after the lawyer had left.

"We'll figure this out." Arizona finally spoke.

Jayde blinked and looked over at her, her hand slipping on to Arizona's thigh, "We'll figure something out."

"My parents can take them." Arizona pulled up to the drop off section of the airport car park and killed the engine.

They looked at each other, Arizona's hands still on the steering wheel, Jaydes hand on her thigh. Jayde nodded, "Maybe. They seemed on board with Tims will?"

"It looks like he may have talked to them about it." Arizona suddenly slammed her open palm against the steering wheel, Jayde barely flinching, "Damn it, Tim!" She dropped her head back against the head rest, anger radiating off of her.

Jayde looked at her, grip tightening, "Hey. Like you said, you'll sort it out." Arizona didn't move, her head still back against the head rest, eyes closed, cheeks flushed, "I'm sorry I have to go when-with, well. I'm sorry I have to go so soon. Your tickets booked for two days away-you'll fly back then?"

Arizona rolled her head to the side, finally looking at her, "Yeah. I'll talk to my parents. Figure out what all this actually means."

They slid out of the car, pulling Jayde's bag out. Arizona leant against the passenger door, and Jayde leant forward, kissing her briefly before standing straighter,, "I'll call you when I land?"

Arizona nodded.

"Try and survive without the constant sex, hey?" She tried to lighten the mood.

Arizona rolled her eyes, "It'll be hard."

Jayde grabbed her bag and went to walk off, stopping and turning to look at her one last time, head tilted slightly, "It's okay to cry, Arizona."

Arizona shrugged at her, tight lipped.

She watched her walk through the doors before sliding back in to the car and driving back to her parents.

She had been named guardian of two children by her brother. Legally, they were in her custody once some certain paperwork was sorted out. She had been left with the house, car and money to use while being in charge of said children.

Her brother was insane.

Her parents hadn't been shocked, meaning they'd talked about it, Tim maybe speaking to them so they wouldn't be surprised by the news if the circumstances ever arrived. But surely she could speak to them, tell them she thought it was best they took the kids. She didn't want this. Kids deserved to be with someone who wanted them.

But a thought nagged in the back of her head. She loved her parents, and her and Tim had been incredibly lucky compared to a lot of other children. But Tim had made a point to her, that he didn't want his kids raised with them. What had he said? Their father wasn't warm.

That was the understatement of the year.

She loved her father, and knew, now, that he loved her and Tim-had loved Tim. But he was a distant, foreboding man. He stopped what physical affection he did give when they were small. Arizona had watched Tim, as a father. It had changed him, had livened him. He suited parenthood, he and Sally both. He was bright, loving, warm and everything their father was not. He was loudly encouraging while their father was a harsh disciplinarian, their mother loving and filled with hugs but also reserved, the woman who stood behind the domineering man.

Tim didn't want his kids growing up in that household. He'd said as much.

And as he'd said, that left Arizona.

These kids were all that there was left of her brother.

That thought scared the shit out of her.

#####

"He wanted it to be you, Arizona."

"Mum, why? Why would he want it to be me? I live in another city, I've made my statement about not wanting kids, I travel non stop and work god awful hours." Arizona wrapped her fingers around her tea mug, tilting her head slightly to look at her mother, who was seated opposite her at the kitchen island.

"You don't think I said all of that to him?" Her mother raised an eyebrow at her, half joking.

Arizona rolled her eyes, "See, even you agree with me. I'm as nurturing as a tea spoon."

"You and I both know you can be nurturing And, actually, I agree with Tim and Sally's decision."

Arizona looked at her in surprise, "You don't want the kids?"

She lowered her voice as she said it, even though it was near midnight and Ella and Toby were fast asleep upstairs. The last things either of them needed was even a hint this was all an issue.

Barbara's look hardened, "Those children mean the world to me. But your brother explained his decision, and it made sense. Your hours are better now you're out of your internship and residency. You're more settled since you met Jayde-we won't talk about your drinking and partying before then." Arizona avoided her mother's eye and sipped her tea. She had been a bit of a horror show not all that long ago, "You're responsible, love those kids to death and your job can easily be moved to a hospital in Seattle. Or you could move the kids to Maryland, but I don't think that would be fair."

Arizona felt like acting like a child and throwing her tea to the floor. It wouldn't be fair to the kids? She was been asked to drop her entire life and move cities to take care of her brothers children, permanently. Her brother and sister in law had just died. Her girlfriend could barely look her in the eye since the will had been read. Her father was buried in a bottle of scotch in his study and her Mothers eyes were a permanent glazed red. Fair was a concept she was struggling with at the moment.

Her mother seemed to sense her internal struggle, "It's what he wanted, Arizona." The words sunk in, heavy, as she leant forward and rest a hand on her forearm, "Your Father and I are, well, grandparents. We're old. T-Tim had a point."

It hurt to hear her Mother stutter over his name. She knew she sounded selfish. But at least she was honest enough with herself to admit that.

She was going to be taking her brothers children.

She would be moving to God awful Seattle.

Her girlfriend was going to be pissed.

Two incomes, no kids.

Fuck.

####

The room was dark, and she could hear the soft baby snores Toby made coming from the bed. She padded softly to the portacrib and even she was thrown by the cuteness of the toddler, sprawled on his back, pacifier thrown to the side. She pulled the blanket up over him and ran her fingers over the silk of his hair.

He really was the sweetest thing, this little boy who moved with a vengeance and had a vocabulary of not even ten words. He was never going to know his father and mother. His future had just been undeniably altered; the man he would have grown in to, changed. Nature vs nurture was an a concept that was about to take point.

"Aunty Na?"

Arizona turned and saw big eyes staring at her from Ella's pillow. She walked over and squatted next to the bed, resting a hand up on the blankets. Ella could say Arizona's name, but 'Na' had seemed to sick.

"What's up, Ella Bella?" She whispered.

"Do you _have_ to go in the morning?"

Arizona smiled softly, "I do. But I'll be back very soon."

"And then we're all going back home?" She scrunched up her little face, still trying to wrap her head around all the changes, "You, me and Toby?"

Arizona nodded, "Yep. Is that okay with you?"

Ella's face just looked blank. She nodded, rolling over to face the wall, little hand gripping Arizona's. Arizona sat for a few minutes, waiting for the little girls breathing to even out and her grip to slacken.

She made her way out the door and pulled it closed quietly. Tim had always laughed and said Ella was a miniature Arizona in personality. Apparently, he wasn't far off. She leant against the wall, head back against it, eyes closed. She let out a long breath between her lips.

What was she doing?

####

"So, you're doing it?"

Arizona had arrived at noon, the apartment empty. She'd dumped her bag and headed straight back out to speak to the Chief at Hopkins. He'd been understanding; how could you not be, in the circumstances? She was on four weeks of leave soon, anyway. He said he'd extend the leave she was on at the moment for the funerals, giving them enough time to find a replacement for her and meaning she had an income for around two months while looking for a new job. She had plenty of savings, and her brothers house was mostly paid off, so she wasn't concerned about money. But it was still good to know. He'd leant back heavily in his chair and assured her he would sing her praises as a reference for any job she applied for. He'd heard a job was going at Seattle Grace Mercy West and Arizona figured she'd make contact with them when she actually got there.

She tried to ignore the fact that she loved her job.

Which, as her Mother pointed out, needed to be soon. Barbara felt the kids needed to be settled in back in to home as soon as they could be. And since Arizona had swallowed down her need to tantrum, she agreed with her. She was hoping to get back within a week.

So when she'd returned to the apartment, she'd sat down and waited for Jayde to get home. The woman had walked through the front door, giving a tight smile to Arizona as she pulled off her jacket and dumped her bag. She walked through to the living room, smiling a thanks as Arizona handed her a glass of wine. She seated herself on the couch, sliding an arm around Arizona's shoulders, Arizona sighing slightly and leaning into Jayde's shoulder. Jayde ran her arm up and down Arizona's and that's when she'd asked.

"So you're doing it?"

Arizona just nodded.

They both sipped their wine.

"When do you need to go back?"

"I spoke to Hopkins today, they're supportive, I don't have to go back to work. I'm thinking within a week, depending."

Jayde leant forward, putting her wine glass down on the coffee table and turning to look at Arizona.

"Depending on what?"

"On us."

Jayde nodded.

Arizona sipped her wine. This was shitty. They were both dumped in a situation both had built a life around avoiding. Arizona was left without a choice in it.

Jayde had a choice.

"This isn't something we ever wanted."

Jayde nodded again.

"You don't have to-we can just, I can go. And you can stay?"

Jayde sighed, reaching for her wine again, "I just-you're right, this isn't anything I ever wanted. I just made partner. But-we, what if we try? I can't promise anything. But what if we try? Keep the lease here, but I'll come and see how we go. I'll come in a few weeks or so."

Arizona tilted her head, looking at her, "You don't have to do that?"

"I want to."

Arizona leant forward and kissed her, pulling back slightly, "I almost had a tantrum at my mother."

Jayde smirked, bringing her hands up behind her neck, pulling her to her, "I don't blame you."

####

Arizona spent the next five days boxing up items, seeing friends before she left and sorting out lease payments. She buried herself in packing and cleaning, Jayde only home late in the evenings from days at the firm. She found that by keeping busy with organising and packing, and then keeping completely busy with Jayde the second she walked through the door, she managed to not think at all. Arizona had always been amazing at compartmentalizing.

She pushed the thought that Tim was dead to the back of her mind.

Jayde was going to join her after a month or so, taking time to sort things out with the firm. Arizona really had no idea what she was doing. Up rooting her entire life for a fifteen month old and a seven year old. Up rooting herself for her dead brother that she wanted one last minute to see so she could throttle him.

The anger hadn't really gone.

Five days in, the night before her boxes were getting picked up, ticket booked for the next night, Arizona pulled packing tape over the final box. She stood, blowing hair out of her eyes, her messy ponytail coming undone, looking around.

She heard stumbling from the bedroom and turned to see Jayde half falling over a box on her way into the living room.

Arizona smiled, "Smooth."

Jayde shrugged, looking around.

Arizona tilted her head looking at her.

Jayde was slightly wide eyed, eyes flicking from box to box. She had her freaked out face on; she looked ready to burst with something she needed to say.

A look that had been crossing her face the last few nights.

Arizona nodded, crossing her arms. Jayde finally made eye contact with her, "It's okay, Jayde. Say it."

Jayde flinched slighty, "I can't do this." Arizona swallowed, tilting her head again to watch the words fall from her lips. "I don't want to delay it. I don't want to come out in four weeks to leave a few weeks later." She moved from foot to foot, "We both know that's what I'll do." Jayde took a step forward, Arizona not moving. She felt herself shutting down, boxing it all away. She was thankful for that little talent, in this moment. "Arizona, I'm sorry, I wanted to try. I didn't want to be the bitch that left you after your brother died and you got dumped with this, this huge responsibility, but I just-I can't do this. It's not me. And the firm...I just made partner."

Arizona tightened her arms across her chest. She nodded, "I know."

Jayde licked her lips, eyes glazed, looking close to tears. Something Arizona had seen only once on her in the years they were together, "I'm-I'm sorry. Kids-I just. I can't. I love you. But I can't."

"I get it, Jayde." The words came out slightly harsh, and Jayde stood, looking ready to take more. Arizona suddenly felt exhausted. Life had dealt one too many blows in the last fortnight.

Jayde took another step forward, "You can be angry at me."

Arizona almost laughed, "Thanks for the permission, Jayde. But I get it." She felt a bitterness rising in her gut she wanted to squash. She did get it. If she had a choice, she'd bail as well. Three years together, plans for a house, and what does it take to destroy that? A shitty sequence of events.

"I-"

"Jayde. I kind of need you to go. I can't-I fly out tomorrow night. I need to not see you before then."

Jayde stopped short, looking surprised, "O-Okay."

"I'm sorry."

"I'm sorry. I didn't-I don't want this."

Arizona nodded.

Jayde stepped forward, as if to hug her, and Arizona took an automatic step back, arms still crossed.

Nodding, Jayde stepped away. They looked at each other for a second, and then Jayde turned, grabbed her bag and keys and walked out.

Arizona let out a long breath, sitting heavily on the couch, pulling her half drunk wine towards her.

Out of love, Arizona was in a position she couldn't say no to. Yet Jayde had a choice, and despite the love she said she felt, she was saying no.

She leant forward, elbows resting on her knees. Her brother was dead, her sister in law as well, her girlfriend had left her-something Arizona could hardly blame her for-and she was moving the next day to a rainy city to take care of her niece and nephew, forever.

She sipped her glass.

There wasn't enough wine in the house.

####


	3. Chapter 3

**Title: **Changes  
**Author: **gabs88  
**Pairing: **Callie/Arizona  
**Summary: **When Arizona's brother dies in a car crash with his wife, she is named gaurdian of his two children. What does this mean for the life of someone who never wanted her own kids, let alone anyone elses?  
**Rating: **T  
**Disclaimer: **All characters belong to ABC/Shonda Rhimes.  
**Note: **Okay, it appears I'm on a roll. It's mostly thanks to all the lovely words you have to say :). You guys kick ass. Glad you're enjoying it so far.

Sorry about the age mix up in the first chapter! Ella is seven :)

**Changes  
Chapter Three**

The house was quiet around her, and Arizona was thinking she should really go to sleep.

It was the first night she was spending in Tim and Sally's house, the kids in bed and she was starting to feel what kind of felt like a panic attack starting. She pulled her feet up on the couch and wrapped her arms around her knees, trying to slow her breathing and hopefully her heart rate.

She'd flown in the night before, her father picking her up from the airport again. The Colonel had been the exact same as the last time he'd picked her up, ram rod straight and almost unable to look at her.

She looked so much like Tim.

She'd noticed he had trouble talking to or holding Toby, too.

They'd gotten to her parents house, the kids already in bed, and Arizona had borrowed their car and taken her two giant suitcases to the house.

She'd stood on the front porch and almost couldn't go inside. The amount of times she'd stood on those steps, greeting her brother or sharing a wine with Sally.

When she'd finally let herself in, the house was cool, dark. She'd dragged the suitcases up stairs to the guest room and dumped them there. Then she wandered down the hall and hovered outside their room, and hadn't been able to bring herself to go inside.

Was it better for the kids if they came back to it all packed up and gone? Or would that be worse, too big?

In the end, she left it, not even entering, though whether it was for the kids or herself, she couldn't say.

She unpacked her suitcases in the spare room, her boxes wouldn't be arriving for a good few days.

When she'd woken at her parents again the next morning, Ella was sitting on her floor with a book open on her lap, leaning against the bed near her feet. Arizona lifted up her bed sheets and the little girl climbed in, Arizona almost blown away with how hard she fell into her, fingers digging in to her back and cold nose pressed against her neck.

She had no idea what she was supposed to do, but apparently the kids would help her.

They hung out at her mom and dads all day and only at dinner time, did they all go back to the house. Barbara and Daniel stayed, Barbara cooking them dinner. Ella had pushed it all around her plate kept looking around the dining room, wide eyed. Toby chattered and squealed and laughed, and there was probably still mashed potato in Arizona's hair from where he'd flung it, apparently comfortable and happy in a place he knew as home.

They put the kids to bed, and Ella didn't say a word the entire time.

Barbara and Daniel let themselves out, Barbara pausing to wrap her arms around Arizona.

"Jayde will be out soon, that'll help."

And it was only then that Arizona told them.

Her mother looked ready to burst in to tears on Arizona's behalf, but one look at her face made her reign it in. The Colonel already in the car, Barbara wrapped her arms around her again and told her to call if she needed anything.

And Arizona had grabbed a bottle of wine, Sally's favourite that they used to share, unopened in the fridge, and sat on the couch.

It really was horribly quiet.

And her heart was really racing.

She was going to keep the kids home tomorrow, Friday, and for the weekend. Then her and Barbara had decided Monday would be back to school for Ella. Barbara said she'd spoken to the school councellor and the sooner they got Ella back into whatever normalcy they could, the better.

Arizona looked around the quiet room. What was normal? Ella's parents were dead and she was living with an Aunty who had happily taken the mantle of 'Cool Aunty' with no responsibility until now.

She took in a deep breath and dropped her head to her knees, forehead heavy against them. She wanted to be at home, to be sharing a wine on the couch with Jayde, then to fall in to bed, to throw herself into sex and skin and not go to bed alone in her dead brothers house, his kids sleeping down the hallway.

She couldn't blame Jayde, not at all, not really.

But it didn't mean she didn't feel some resentment. They'd spent three years together, and she'd thought she'd at least try a bit harder.

Arizona was.

Her life had turned up side down and she was trying.

Standing up, she put her wine glass in the sink and the bottle in the fridge and just as she was walking up the stairs, she heard Toby give a cry.

Steeling herself, having rarely been on night time duties in the past, she walked up the stairs and into his room.

"Mama." he gave a nonsensical cry again and then, "Da."

She heard it as she hovered in the doorway and it almost broke her heart.

She wondered how long until he'd forget, until he no longer cried for the parents that had once shown up every time he did.

She padded over and bent over his cot. He was sitting up, his blanket pulled to his chest, blonde hair mussed and little cheeks red and wet. He looked at her for a moment, not recognising her, then threw his arms up. She bent down and picked him up and he nestled in to her.

Arizona swallowed heavily and sat on the chair in the corner of the room. She leant back and held him to her chest, smoothing the hair of his forehead and rubbing his back. His breathing was heavy, unsettled, and it didn't take long until he calmed down, fingers clasping rhythmically at her shirt, eyes fluttering closed.

She rocked the chair and rubbed his back and remembered the last phone conversation with her brother.

_"Toby's still not sleeping through the night. You're a pediatrician, right? Is that normal? Ella slept like a log."_

_"Tim, seriously, how many times? I'm a pediatric surgeon. Kids cry and I cut them open."_

_"That's a little bit of an extreme reaction, Arizona. What if they just wanted an ice-cream?"_

_She'd laughed and rolled her eyes, switching hands she held the phone in, "You know what I mean. I don't know. Is he waking up screaming or just waking up?"_

_"Just every few nights, waking up. I only have Ella to compare him to."_

_"I'd say it's just a phase. Does he settle quickly?"_

_"Yeah, right back down. Only for me though, Sally now has an excuse to kick me out of bed when he cries. Kid loves his dad." _

She pressed her lips against the now sleeping boys head.

Not for the first time, and it wouldn't be the last, she really did wonder what the hell she was doing.

####

They watched cartoons all Friday morning. Too much TV wasn't good for kids, but Arizona thought a little down time would do them all some good. Friday afternoon, Barbara came around to sit with them while Arizona went to Seattle Grace Mercy West to talk to the chief about a job. The chief at Hopkins had called ahead to recommend her for the job going and she thought stopping by in person would be a good idea.

And she kind of needed to get out of the house.

Barbara showed up and took one look at the kids, Toby with a Leggo bucket on his head and Ella hitting at it with a wooden spoon, and said, "I'll take them to the park."

Arizona mouthed a 'thank you' to her mother and grabbed her bag, saying bye to the kids and escaping. She used her Mothers car, her not needing it with the park just down the road. She didn't feel like her brothers car was hers to use.

She drove down the street, following her mothers directions, surprised it was only twenty minutes away. She parked in visitors parking and wandered towards the front entrance, sliding her keys in her pocket. She walked to the front desk and got directions from the receptionist to the chiefs office. Apparently she had to go along a cat walk-how big was this place?

She slid in to an elevator as a thin, darker blonde woman slipped in just behind her.

"Are you looking for the chiefs office?"

Arizona looked at her, surprised, "Ah, yeah?"

"Sorry, I heard you talking to the receptionist. I was heading there, too. I can show you if you like?"

Arizona looked slightly relieved, "Thanks, that'd be great. The directions weren't overly specific."

The woman laughed slightly, slipping her hands in her lab coat, "It's a bit of a maze."

"I'm Arizona, Robbins." She held her hand out.

"Teddy Altman."

"Worked here long?"

"A couple of years now. I'm head of Cardio."

Arizona raised her eyebrows, "Impressive. Well, it's nice to meet someone I might be working with down the line."

"Applying for a job?" They walked out of the elevator, walking down a hallway.

"Yeah, actually. The head of pediatrics position. I just moved, I was at Hopkins?"

Teddy's eyes widened slightly, "Hopkins? Impressive. Oh wait. Owen mentioned the woman from Hopkins, you came highly recommended from there. Jobs pretty much yours, if that helps."

Arizona laughed, "It does actually, thanks."

"So what brings you to Seattle? The bright weather?" She nodded her head to the left slightly, to the massive window that the cat walk they'd just walked on to looked over. It was grey outside, dark clouds rolling across the sky.

Arizona gave a small smile, "Uh-some family stuff. Had to move."

She wasn't ready to explain the whole ordeal to a stranger.

Her face must have given something away, though, because Teddy's look sobered, "Sorry, I shouldn't have asked. I talk a bit more than I should. My husband passed away a few months ago, and since then I seem to over share, even more then I used to." She stopped outside a door, standing awkwardly, "Like now, for example."

Arizona took in her womans expression, the way her eyes flicked from place to place. She cocked her head, "No, don't be sorry. I'm sorry I about your husband." She hesitated a moment, "My uh-my brother passed away, just over two weeks ago now. Things are, kind of, messy? I had to move to Seattle."

Teddy's eyes caught and held hers. She gave a soft smile, "I'm sorry about your brother. Maybe we could get a drink sometime?"

Arizona had no idea how she would fit in work with the two kids suddenly in her care, let alone drinks, "I'd love that." She indicated to the door, "You go first."

"I'll only be a minute. Literally, we don't say a lot to each other anymore."

Arizona watched her flit into the office, her look confused. She barely spoke to her chief of surgery? How the hell would that work?

She was literally out again about thirty seconds later, "Thanks."

Arizona smiled, "No worries."

"I told him you were out here, just head on in."

"Thanks, Teddy. It was nice meeting you."

"I look forward to that drink."

Arizona smiled and turned, knocking as she walked into the office. That woman had the saddest eyes.

Teddy stood for a second, hands buried in her pockets still, gnawing on her lip. A new face at the hospital would probably do them all some good.

She went to walk back over the cat walk when she heard her name be called down the hall. She turned, smiling genuinely at the brunette, Callie Torres, walking towards her.

"Torres, hey."

"Ready for the OR?"

"The MVA patient on his way up?"

"Yeah, Yang has him cardio prepped. You and I just need to scrub, and you can repair that aorta and I'll sort out his femur."

Both women turned and sped up slightly, walking along the cat walk.

"I just met the new paeds attending."

"We filled that position? Tell me they're nicer than Stark. Karev is dogging for a good attending."

"She seemed nice. She's in with Hunt at the moment, so technically it's not filled yet. But from what I overheard him telling Shepherd, she's got it if she wants it."

Callie turned her head, trying to peer into the office. She could just see someone with blonde hair pulled in to a pony tail, too far away to see features. She turned back to Teddy, "Good for Karev, if she comes that highly recommended maybe she'll actually teach him something."

"Anyone's better than Stark."

"Damn right."

"And she really did seem nice."

"Thank God."

####

Saturday dawned brightly, the sun shining weakly and the weather slightly warmer than the day before. Arizona had woken up early, before the kids, her mind full of racing thoughts. She had the job at Seattle Grace Mercy West. A promotion, too. She was head of her own department. She wanted to feel proud, excited even. Instead, it felt tainted. She would much rather still be an Attending in Maryland and her brother still be alive, living his life with his wife and two kids. Everyone would be where they wanted to be, no one where they were obligated to be, and happy.

She was starting in a week, taking the week to sort out child care for Toby-the chief told her the staff got a great rate at the childcare place in the hospital. She needed to make sure Ella was settled in school, and to sort out after school care for when she finished.

Everything was feeling a little overwhelming. How was she going to handle being on call with two kids? Late nights? Long surgeries? Emergencies?

How was she going to handle two kids, full stop?

She balled her fists up into the sheets and tried to ignore the tight feeling in her gut. She missed Jayde, missed the adult company.

She missed her brother.

She kicked her legs and rolled out of bed, deciding to make noise to wake the kids up to stop herself from thinking.

Ella ate most of her breakfast, something Arizona was grateful for but tried to not bring attention to. She seemed to go okay with breakfast, pick at lunch and just push her food around her dinner plate. She was quiet and introspective most of the time, with bursts of acting like herself coming out sporadically. She was most settled with Toby around her, chatting to him and helping him play, holding his hand and making up little stories to tell him.

They sat, Toby in his high chair with a bowl of cheerios, ignoring the milk and eating the cereal out with his hands. Arizona couldn't help but smile at him as he grinned at her, cereal all over his face, his hair still bed messy.

"Na!" He said through the grin, happily going back to his cereal, pulling it piece by piece to his mouth with index finger and thumb.

"Good cereal, mister?" Arizona took a bite of her toast, smiling softly as he nodded, and tried to ignore the smell she had just noticed coming from him. She was definitely not a diaper changing fan.

"Can we go to the park again today?"

Arizona turned in surprise to Ella, "Of course. It's a great day for the park. Did you have fun with grandma yesterday?"

Ella shrugged, "It was okay. There were other kids there."

"There'll be more there today, its Saturday. You can play with them as long as you like."

"Okay."

They ate quietly for a moment.

"You looking forward to school on Monday?"

"No."

Arizona chewed slowly, wondering how to tackle this one. She went with direct, "Why not honey?"

Ella was quiet for a moment as she squashed the soggy remnants of her cereal in her bowl, "The other kids will ask me about Mommy and Daddy."

Arizona's chewing slowed, "Well, if they do and you don't want to talk about it, you just say 'can we talk about something else?'. Okay?"

Ella kept staring at her cereal bowl.

"You can talk about it, if you want to, Elle? With kids or teachers. Or grandma or me?"

"I don't want to talk about it."

Arizona nodded. "That's okay." If there was something Arizona understood, it was that. But was that okay for a seven year old? Should she push her to talk? When was it too long for Ella to be pushing food around her plate? When did she clear out her brothers room? Hell, Arizona wasn't even ready for that, let alone the kids. When should she expect Ella to act like a seven year old again and not like a quiet little adult?

Arizona needed to talk to the school councillor. She really had no idea how to deal with any of this.

"How about you go clean up, I'll get Toby ready and we'll head to the park?"

Ella nodded, perking up slightly at the notion, taking her plate up to the sink and scooting out the room. Arizona watched her walk out and turned to Toby, who had brought his bowl up to his mouth and was drinking the milk. He put it down with a loud, 'ah!' noise and grinned at Arizona, milk dripping off his chin.

Arizona sat with an eyebrow raised at him, a smile playing on her lips, "Beautiful manners, Tobes."

"Park!"

Arizona nodded at him, standing up and pulling him out of his high chair, carrying him up the stairs, "Yup. We'll go to the park. That's a new word for you, by the way. Well done. Grandma teach you that one?"

He just smiled at her and patted her cheek with sticky fingers.

Arizona entered his room, "Alrighty, we'll face that monster nappy of yours then go to the park. Deal?"

He just giggled at her.

"Easy for you to laugh, you just make the mess. I have to clean it up." She lay him back and pulled his nappy back, almost recoiling, "Just awesome."

Five minutes later, Arizona was making her way down the stairs with a much cleaner Toby dressed in tiny overalls. She put him down in front of his leggo in the living room, calling in the general direction of up the stairs, "I'll just get the pram and we'll go, Ella."

She was handling this. Toby was dressed and clean, they'd eaten. Ella was interested in the park.

She was totally handling this.

Arizona walked into the garage off the side of the kitchen, looking around for a light switch. Finally locating it, she flicked it, flooding the space with light. Her brothers SUV was parked and Arizona wanted to groan at the idea of driving a soccer moms car.

She missed her car, now in storage and in the process of being sold in Maryland.

She couldn't help but pause for a minute, wondering if Tim and Sally had been driving the SUV instead of Sally's smaller work car, would the crash have turned out differently? She shook her head and blocked the thought. She was getting the pram and they were going to walk to the park.

That is what she was doing that morning.

She walked forward to the back of the car, opening it up and pulling out the folded up pram. She dropped it to the ground and eyed it suspiciously. The thing looked more like a mountain climbing buggy. Since when did prams come with three wheels?

Arizona sighed and bent over, pulling at the handle bar and the wheels to try and make it unfold. Her mom had told her it just 'popped' open.

Nothing happened.

She shook it, levering it with her feet and tugging again at the handle bars.

Again, nothing happened.

She was a world class pediatric surgeon. She could pull tiny humans apart and then put them back together better than when she got her hands into them. Her _mother_ could do this. She could make the damn pram open.

She squatted, looking over and seeing a little red lever thing. She flicked and it seemed to unlock something as the frame loosened. She pulled at the handle bar again and the whole thing finally popped open, catching her in the chin and sending her back on her ass as it did so.

Hand to her jaw, she rubbed it, glaring at the pram and almost feeling tears of frustration well up in her eyes.

She really wasn't handling this.

She heard a giggle behind her and turned to see Ella standing in the doorway, hand over her mouth as if to catch the giggle and send it back in.

Arizona couldn't stop herself from smiling. That was the first time she'd heard Ella laugh in far too long.

"You laughing at me, madame?"

Ella pulled her hand away from her mouth, a grin on her face. It lit up her whole face, her green eyes bright and dimples showing, "You're not very good at this stuff, are you Aunty Na?"

Arizona laughed, wiping her hands on her jeans.

"Not really, Ella Bella, but I'll get better."

####


	4. Chapter 4

**Title: **Changes  
**Author: **gabs88  
**Pairing: **Callie/Arizona  
**Summary: **When Arizona's brother dies in a car crash with his wife, she is named guardian of his two children. What does this mean for the life of someone who never wanted her own kids, let alone anyone elses?  
**Rating: **T  
**Disclaimer: **All characters belong to ABC/Shonda Rhimes.  
**Note:** Thanks again lovely people! You're reviews are awesome to read :)  
I was going to keep the story Arizona's third person POV (if that makes sense)-but what do you guys think? Would you rather I did what I did with Dreaming and kinda jumped between the two? Or kept it as is, with the story mostly told from Arizona's view? There will be plenty of Callie soon, either way.

**Changes  
Chapter Four**

The groceries were piling up in her cart and Arizona was only half way through her shop. Ella was at her second day back at school and Barbara had taken pity on her when she said she needed to grocery shop and taken Toby for the afternoon. Apparently grocery shopping with a child was hard work, and Arizona was very okay with her mother helping in that department.

So, with free time for the first time in days, Arizona was grocery shopping.

Oh, how her life had changed.

And wow, how much shopping she had to get. Even with Ella's fussy appetite at the moment, they powered through bread and milk and cereal and fruit.

She stood in the cereal aisle debating types, overwhelmed with the fact that there was enough cereal to take up an entire aisle, and just went with cheerios. They'd all had enough change lately.

Yesterday, Arizona had gone with her Mother and Toby to the lawyers office to sign the papers that made everything she was living official. Apparently, because it was all dictated in the will, it was not an overly strenuous process. Her signature and a review by a judge and she'd receive confirmation in the mail.

A piece of paper in the mail in a couple of weeks, or months (the lawyer had pointed out the court system could be incredibly slow sometimes), would sign off on the biggest change in Arizona's and the kids entire life.

How anti-climatic.

It had scared the crap out of her, and when the kids were in bed that night, Ella quiet again after school, barely answering her questions about how it went, Arizona had drunk most of a bottle of wine and sat up watching Friends re-runs. At midnight, eyes burning with staring at the TV screen and barely blinking, she went upstairs, took a long shower and fell in to bed. She'd woken this morning with a headache and Ella yelling from the kitchen that they were out of cereal.

Her reality was daunting.

Not that long ago, after a bottle of wine like that, she would have had a girlfriend waking her up with a coffee and a headache cure. They would have then gone out for breakfast at their favourite cafe and laughed about whatever friends they were with when they had consumed that much alcohol to bring forth that kind of headache.

And, later, Arizona would have called her brother to talk about nothing at all.

She felt her stomach clench and realised she'd been lost in thought holding the Cheerio box, staring at the colourful writing. She dropped it in the cart, and, on second thought, grabbed another two boxes and dropped them in, too. They landed on top of the three packets of doughnuts, covering her shame.

Doughnuts helped. Especially when washed down with a glass wine. She should really join a gym.

The kids were now legally in her care. The house was legally in her name. The car and money, too. Or would be, once all the paper work was sent through.

Arizona turned the corner to go up the next aisle.

It was all very real.

Her cart turned the corner and she heard, and felt, it make loud contact with someone's basket. Arizona pulled up short, "Oh, God, I'm so sorry!"

She turned the corner completely, cart pushed wider to go around the unfortunate soul, and made eye contact with surprised looking, dark brown eyes.

The woman she'd hit with her cart laughed, adjusting her basket from her hip that had just been knocked to the other side, "It's okay, I'm in a bit of a blind spot."

Arizona smiled, "Still, I'm sorry. I was lost in thought."

The woman smiled again and Arizona found herself smiling back-she had an incredible smile.

"Who doesn't get lost in thought wandering the grocery aisles?"

"Yeah, well, the choices between condiments leave me pondering the complexities of life."

Arizona grinned as the woman smiled harder, a laugh escaping her lips. The brunette shifted on her feet, "Mustard versus ketchup, whole egg versus light mayonnaise. Those choices really do parallel with the tough choices we face, don't they?"

"Don't forget the incredibly difficult one between olive oils." Arizona leant against the handle of her cart, enjoying the banter more than she thought she could.

"See, that's where you lose me. Virgin and light and extra virgin-I didn't know olive oil was a college kid."

Arizona laughed out loud, caught in surprise at the words. The woman looked pleased she'd made Arizona laugh. She really was pretty, the smile lighting up her face, amazing skin and long dark hair that fell past her shoulders in waves.

"I'm Arizona-I usually exchange pleasantries before pushing people over in grocery aisles."

The woman leant forward, offering her hand and Arizona shook it, "Callie. And you make a regular thing of running people over?"

Their hands lingered a moment before they lowered them. "I'm known for it."

Callie tilted her head at her, "That how you get that interesting bruise on your chin? Running a stranger over in the store?"

Arizona rolled her eyes playfully, the bruise on her chin from the pram incident had only just started to fade, "That-that's a bit of a long story. I had a fight with an embarrassing object."

"I'd really like to hear that story sometime."

Arizona cocked her head and grinned, "Maybe I'll tell it to you one day."

Callies phone, clasped in her hand, beeped, and she quickly glanced down at it before looking up again, apologetic, "It's a pity I'm late for a party-I was told weeks ago to bring crackers and cheese, so of course I forgot and had to stop by on my way there."

Arizona laughed, "No judgement here. I just ran down an innocent bystander in the grocery store."

Callie grinned and Arizona couldn't get over how it lit her face up, "Maybe next time you do it again, I can hear the story behind that bruise."

"Sounds fair." Arizona stood up and put her hands the handle of her cart, "Enjoy your party."

"Thanks. Enjoy your cheerios. Looks like you like them." With a final smile thrown over her shoulder, Callie walked away, eyes already to her phone.

Arizona let her eyes trail down the back of her for a minute, admiring the way her black jeans clung before mentally slapping herself and turning to her shopping, a small smile on her lips.

She made it through the checkout, trying not to react to the cost of shopping for an adult and two small children, mind on the conversation she'd just had. It had been fun, an edge of flirty.

She half shook her head at herself. She'd probably never see her again.

Arizona pushed her cart out and unloaded the bags into the stupidly oversized car, sliding in to the drivers seat and pulling out her phone.

Callie really did have an amazing smile.

She went to call Tim.

Ever since he'd been back from Iraq two years ago, they'd talked every few days on the phone, texted even more often, sent emails. He was her best friend.

He was her first point of contact, even when in Iraq, to talk about women with. To make silly comments and talk about a flirtation. She was the first person he called after proposing to Sally, she'd called Tim to talk over moving in with Jayde, something she'd never done before and needing her brother to give her a verbal kick up the ass to get her doing it.

Then, when she was sliding in to her car, a boring thirty minute drive in traffic ahead of her after getting groceries, post a fun, flirty conversation with a woman with an incredible smile, she'd automatically plugged her bluetooth in and called Tim.

It went straight to voicemail, the phone shattered in the crash, and the sound of his voice flooded the car.

_Hey, it's Tim Robbins. Leave a message and I'll call you back. Or call Sally, she's way more reliable._

She didn't know how long she sat, fingers gripping the steering wheel, knuckles white, staring at her mobile.

She'd forgotten. For five minutes, she'd forgotten.

The thought made her horrified, guilty, sad.

And it made her miss her brother ten times more, as remembering crashed over her and it hit her all over again.

####

Arizona was making fish fingers and chips because she was over cooking and it purely meant just shoving everything in the oven. Chopping up a salad, she was trying not to think about the phone conversation she'd just had with her mother.

Barbara had called her up in tears, sobbing over the phone because she'd just gone through the baby photos of her and Tim. She'd listened and made soothing noises as words like 'baby boy' and 'the poor kids' and 'how could he go before us? It's not right' and 'the two of you were inseparable' came over the phone. Arizona had snuck down the hall and hid near the coat rack to be away from the living room, where Toby was destroying the puzzle Ella was patiently doing, so they wouldn't over hear.

She'd gotten off the phone drained and exhausted, instructing her mother to have a hot bath and a glass of scotch, with a promise to spend the next day with her at the park with Toby.

She stood in the hall way, hands hovering awkwardly, taking in a deep breath and letting it out slowly, trying to calm her racing heart. Her mothers voice had been devastated, and Arizona had found herself speaking past a lump in her throat. She opened eyes and shoved her phone in her back pocket. She had the kids in the living room and dinner to get ready.

Cutting up the salad, she stilled her thoughts and focussed on chopping up everything in to even chunks. She'd been on edge after accidentally calling Tim yesterday and her mothers phone call made it harder to pretend everything was okay. Ella was still achingly quiet, barely speaking a word when Arizona had picked her up from school. Toby was as sweet as ever, a destructive tiny force of giggles and mess.

She just needed to keep it together and get through dinner. Then bath time, then bed and Arizona would sit on the couch and eat two doughnuts and surf the internet, looking at holidays she couldn't go on. And thinking about the smile of one Callie inappropriately.

She almost jumped as her phone rang again. She wiped her hands on her jeans and pulled it out of her pocket, eyebrows shooting up when she saw who was calling. She considered not answering for a moment, then sucked it up and hit the green button.

"Jayde?"

_"Hey, Arizona."_

"Uh-how are you?"

_"I'm, I'm good."_

Silence hovered a second.

_"I just wanted to see how you were going."_

Arizona held the phone between her shoulder and ear, going back to chopping up salad, "I'm fine. I'm chopping tomato. Not for Ella though, she hates them."

_"She's a bit young to have such a big bias."_

Arizona gave a mirthless laugh, "Yeah, well. I let her hate what she wants at the moment."

_"Fair call." _Arizona slid the tomato on her own plate and a piece into Toby's bowl, _"So, how are you, really, Arizona?"_

Arizona felt her throat catch. She went to chopping lettuce. Why was it that you were fine until someone genuinely asks how you are?

"Jayde-I'm fine."

_"Arizona..."_

"Look, I can't do this. I-you walked, Jayde. And that's okay. But you can't call me and be all concerned. We only broke up a two weeks ago."

She heard Jayde sigh, _"I know, I'm sorry. I just-it's not that I don't care. I know I walked. I'm just worried about you. This is-it's a lot."_

Arizona closed her eyes and took in a deep breath, knife stilled, "I appreciate that, Jayde. But I-I can't do that. The kids need dinner and they have to be in bed on time, Ella has school tomorrow."

They were both silent a moment, the rediculousness of Arizona being in this position, talking about dinner and school and kids, hanging over them.

_"Okay. I'm sorry, again. I just wanted to check in." _There was a pause, _"I'm sure you're doing amazing, Arizona."_

"Thanks. Take care, Jayde."

She hung up, shoving her phone into her back pocket again. She didn't have this in her today.

She felt something hit her leg and looked down, Toby clinging to it, pacifier in his mouth, grinning up at her.

She swallowed back her frustration and smiled down at him, resting a hand on his head, "Hey, mister. You hungry? And where'd you get that pacifier? We're trying to make that just for sleep time."

He giggled and held his hand up. She reached down and picked him up, settling him on her hip. She handed him a piece of cucumber. He pulled his pacifier out, which Arizona sneakily pulled off him and placed on the counter while he happily shoved the vegetable in his mouth.

She laughed at him, taking him over and placing him his high chair, putting his salad in front of him to pick at while she pulled the food out the oven, giving it awhile to cool. She served the food onto her and Ella's plates, chopping some apart so it would cool quicker before placing it in front of Toby with enough ketchup to drown a small town.

She put her and Ella's plate on the table and called Ella to the table.

She had to call a second time before she meandered her way in and sat at the table.

Toby babbled as he ate with his hands, sauce smeared on his face. Ella picked at a few chips, Arizona trying to force herself to eat the food she wasn't so keen on herself.

"How was school, Ella?"

Ella shrugged, "Fine."

"Do anything new?"

"No."

Arizona bit into her salad and resigned herself to a silent dinner. She wasn't in the mood to force chat either. Her conversation with Jayde and her mother had left her on edge. She felt exhausted and wired at the same time, her head was a mess.

Toby managed to finish everything on his plate, Arizona as well. Ella had had a handful of chips and a bite of the fish and was now massacring it all with her fork.

Arizona sighed, "Ella. You need to eat some more, please."

Ella stabbed harder at her fish, "Not hungry."

"Well, you should be. You only had an apple since lunch time. Have some of your salad."

"No."

"Ella, for Godssakes, eat something!" Arizona hadn't meant to snap.

Ella pushed her plate away, it almost sliding to the other end of the table, "Why? You're not my Mom!"

Arizona's eyes widened and Ella's face was a mirror of her own. They stared at each other a moment, both breathing hard, before Ella shoved her chair back and ran out the room, her feet thumping up the stairs.

Arizona swallowed heavily, and looked to Toby, whos hand had stilled in the middle of smearing ketchup over his high chair table, his own eyes wide as he blinked at Arizona. She stood up, dumping all their plates in their sink, pulling Toby out of his high chair after giving him a quick wipe down. She put him in the living room in front of the puzzle and he went to it, pulling it all apart. She piled some blocks in front of him to keep him going.

Arizona stood at the bottom of the stairs and steeled herself.

She wasn't surprised that Ella had finally snapped.

She was kicking herself for raising her voice. It had been a terrible two days, excluding the best adult conversation she'd had in a long time in a supermarket aisle, and she shouldn't have let that combined with her worry that Ella wasn't eating come out that way.

She took in a deep breath and climbed the stairs, pausing outside Ella's room. She knocked, eye level with the pink letters that spelt her name out on her door.

Tim had stuck them up for her, Sally found the letters in a gift store before Ella had even been born. She'd loved the name Ella from the get go and had been firm in the knowledge that she was having a girl.

She pushed the door open and took in the little girl, curled up on her bed, pillow pulled over her face, turned to the wall.

Arizona, one again, was at a loss for what to do.

"Ella?" Her own voice was hoarse.

"Go away."

Even Arizona knew that wasn't what she should do. She walked forward and sat on the edge of the bed, "I'm not going to do that, honey."

A hiccup came from under the pillow.

Heart breaking for the little girl who was too young to handle this, yet old enough to know what was going on, Arizona leant down and lay behind her, spooning her and wrapping her arm around Ella, pulling her against her. Ella's body shook with sobs and Arizona ran her hand down her hair and pressed a kiss to the back of her head.

"I-I m-miss mommy and daddy." She could barely get her words out.

Arizona felt tears stinging her eyes and blinked them back, screwing her eyes closed and pressing her face into Ella's hair.

"I do, too, sweetie. I do too."

Ella hiccupped, taking in a shuddering breath, "You do?"

"I really do. So much." Arizona took in her own shuddering breath, "Your Daddy was my brother."

Ella pulled the pillow away from her face, her cheeks tears stained, cheeks flushed. She turned her head slightly, glistening green eyes looking up at her, "He was?" Her face was screwed up, confused.

"Yeah. Like Toby is your brother. That's what makes me your Aunty."

Ella took this new concept in, hiccuping occasionally still. She blinked and a fresh tear spilled over. They lay for a minute, Arizona wrapped around her, Ella half turned in her arms.

"Aunty Na?"

"Yeah?"

"I like that you're my Aunty."

Arizona smiled, "I like that I am, too."

She pressed her nose into her neck, shaking her head so to tickle her and Ella gave a small, choking giggle.

Arizona sat up suddenly, having an idea, "Ella?" Ella looked at her, "Come with me."

She sat up and grabbed her hand, pulling her up and down the stairs. She went into the living room and picked up Toby, depositing him on the kitchen floor. She rummaged in the cupboard and pulled out a saucepan and a fry pan. She gave Toby the saucepan and a wooden spoon, which he happily went about smacking together, and put the fry pan on the stove top.

Ella stood in the kitchen looking confused, "What are you doing?"

Arizona had pulled out a mixing bowl and measuring cups and was now pulling out flour, eggs, milk and honey.

"We're making pancakes."

A small smile hovered on her face, "But it's dinner time. And you cooked fish already."

Arizona shrugged, smiling at her, "So?"

She pulled a foot stool up to the bench and picked Ella up, making an exaggerated 'oof' noise and putting her on it. She put the measuring cup in front of her with the flour.

"We want two cups of that in the mixing bowl."

Ella's eyes widened, "I can do it?"

"Yup. Who cares about the mess."

Ella dug the cup in the container of flour, puffs of it going everywhere already and scooped it in to the bowl. She grinned as a cloud of flour rose up, tears already drying on her cheeks.

They made the pancakes in a floury mess, Toby banging loudly on the saucepan and creating as much noise as possible. Arizona cracked eggs in, Ella slopped milk over the mix and stirred it with all the vigour of a seven year old. Flour streaked their faces and the batter was a lumpy mess.

Ella stood on her footstool, yelling out shape names for Arizona to make pancakes in to, Toby adding to the noise just because he could. She made diamonds, stars, squares, triangles and even attempted a dog that came out as a blob. Anything Ella requested, she attempted, earning giggles at the messy shapes that ended up on their plates.

They covered the still hot pancakes in honey and ate them as soon as they were ready while more cooked on the stove. They were lumpy and, at times, only half cooked. Ella tore hers apart and shared them with Toby, the little boy delighting in the sweetness. Ella's cheeks were a mess of honey and flour and she was grinning from ear to ear.

And, without noticing she was doing it, she finished all the pancakes on her plate.

They stayed up past ten, Toby asleep on the couch under a blanket and Ella sitting sleepily on her lap, watching Mega Mind twice over and mimicking the voices.

Arizona smoothed Ella's hair off her face, cheek resting against the top of the girls head.

It wasn't everything, but it was a start.

####


	5. Chapter 5

**Title: **Changes  
**Author: **gabs88  
**Pairing: **Callie/Arizona  
**Summary: **When Arizona's brother dies in a car crash with his wife, she is named guardian of his two children. What does this mean for the life of someone who never wanted her own kids, let alone anyone elses?  
**Rating: **T  
**Disclaimer: **All characters belong to ABC/Shonda Rhimes.  
**Note: **Wow. Thanks everyone for the ongoing reviews and encouragement. Glad you're enjoying :). This one should be a tad more feel good than the past few.

**Changes  
Chapter Five**

Arizona called Ella in sick, which, in the circumstances, the school didn't question one bit. She kind of wanted both the kids with her after the night before, a feeling that surprised her. She found that by burying herself in them, it helped with not thinking about what had put her in these circumstances. The distraction was maybe not ideal, but welcome anyway. They all slept a little later than usual, Ella in Arizona's bed and Toby in his cot. When Toby's babbling in his room had woken Arizona some time just after eight, she'd wandered through to get him, Ella still asleep in her bed. For a little girl, she took up a lot of space. Arizona had had an elbow, foot or bony knee digging in to her back at some point all through the night.

She pushed Toby's door open and his face split in to a grin when he saw her. He was standing up in his cot, hands clinging to the side, his hair spiky and mussed.

"Morning, little man." Arizona walked forward, pulled his pacifier out and dropping it in his crib, which he barely flinched at, still smiling up at Arizona. She lifted him up and he immediately dropped his head into her neck, moulding himself to her for morning cuddles. She stood for a minute, swaying with him and rubbing his back. "Shall we go see Ella?" He sat up straighter in her arms and pointed out the door, whole body arching in to the action.

"El!"

Arizona quickly changed his diaper, using the opportunity to pull some outside clothes on him. Pulling him back into her arms, she held a finger to her lips and said, "Shh. Let's wake up Ella."

Toby just giggled.

Arizona walked them down the hall and in to her room, creeping up to the bed with a still giggling Toby. She lifted him up and deposited him on the lump that was Ella. The lump made a groaning noise. Toby laughed delightedly that his sister was moving and pulled at the blankets, pulling them off her. He smacked his open palm none too gently on her cheek.

"Toby!" Ella opened her eyes and glared at him, "I'm sleeping!"

"El! El!" Toby didn't care.

Ella reached her hands up and tickled Toby on his stomach, who squealed and threw himself backwards on the bed. Ella sat up, strawberry blonde hair a mess around her head, instantly awake, the way Arizona was learning only a child could be. It amazing her how painstakingly patient she could be with him at times.

Arizona, in comparison to how awake Ella and Toby were, felt like she'd been hit by a truck and just wanted to lay in bed for another two hours, drinking coffee and reading the paper. She really missed lazy mornings in bed. Another new thing in her life, being grateful for a sleep in past eight am. Or even seven.

They moved slowly, eventually moving from the bed to the kitchen for cereal. Arizona had cleaned up the kitchen the night before, flour coated over everything. The morning felt different, somehow. Ella was happy to not be going to school, almost excited at the sneaky day off. She was looking forward to Barbara coming around at nine so they could go to the park. Arizona had realised they needed more milk and bread, something she was shocked at considering she'd just been at the store the other day.

"Ella Bella?" Arizona asked over cereal.

"Yeah?" Ella answered around a mouthful of milk and cheerios.

"What do you say to some one on one time with Grandma? I'll go to the store with Toby, bring him back for a sleep and then the two of us will meet you at the park in the afternoon?"

Ella's eyes lit up, "Really?" One on one time with Grandma was hard to come by with a baby brother.

Arizona smiled softly at her, "Really. She doesn't even know you're playing hooky so we can surprise her when she gets here."

"Okay!"

Arizona figured Barbara would be delighted, especially considering how upset she'd been on the phone yesterday. And this would mean Arizona could have some chill out time while Toby had a sleep.

As she was wiping Toby's face with a wash cloth, Ella putting their bowls on the sink, there was a knock on the door and the sound of it opening, Barbara's voice calling out as she entered the front hall. Ella dropped the bowls in the sink and called you, "Grandma!" And ran out the kitchen to greet her. Arizona finished wiping up Toby, who's eyes had widened in excitement at Ella's shout and pulled the boy out, who immediately ran towards the front door on unsteady legs.

Arizona followed as she heard Barbara exclaiming over Ella's presence.

"I'm playing hooky!" Ella announced as Arizona entered the hall.

Barbara's eyebrows raised, "I can see that!"

She was wrapped around Barbara's legs, "We get to hang out just us this morning, Grandma."

Barbara smiled and knelt, wrapping her arms around Ella, "Well, aren't I lucky?" She looked over Ella's shoulder, "Morning, sweetheart." She gave Arizona a strained smile, different to the one she was able to put on for the kids. Toby hit her like a whirlwind and she wrapped an arm around each of them.

"Do you mind, Mom? I thought you could have Ella this morning, I'll take Toby to the store and bring him back for a sleep, then meet you at the park say one?"

Barbara stood up, wincing as her knees cracked, "That sounds delightful. All day with my beautiful grandchildren. We can go for lunch somewhere, Ella?"

Ella nodded, "And get a hot chocolate?"

"I think that's a must. Run upstairs and grab your jacket and we'll go find something fun to do."

Ella turned and made a beeline up the stairs.

Barbara looked at Arizona, "No school?" She asked softly.

Arizona crossed her arms and leant against the stair railing, watching Toby pull shoes off the shoe rack one by one, "We had a rough night. I thought she could use a day off."

"Everyone needs a day off, sometimes." Arizona nodded. "You need some, too. I can take the kids anytime, Arizona. You don't have to do this alone." Arizona nodded again, throwing her mother a smile. Barbara tilted her head at her, a habit Arizona had taken from her, "Have you talked to anyone? Vented?" She raised her eyebrows, "Cried?"

Arizona walked forward and lifted Toby up, who had put all the shoes back in a methodical manner, lifting him to her hip, his hands going to her necklace to play with the chain, "I'm fine, Mom." She threw her another smile, "Really."

Barbara looked at her disbelieving, "I know you. This is what you do, and that's okay for a little while. But then you explode-you're just like your father. Find someone to talk to, sweetie. It's okay if it's not me." She smiled affectionately, "Your father, you and Ella are three generations of avoiders."

Arizona gave a mirthless laugh, "We do okay."

"You do brilliantly."

Arizona swallowed heavily at the tone in her mothers voice and looked up as Ella came thundering down the stairs. The little girl was flushed slightly in her cheeks, her yes bright. She looked more like herself than she had in weeks, "Ready to go?"

Ella nodded, indicating to her jacket and pink converse. "I tied my laces myself." She said proudly.

Arizona grinned at her, "Go you."

"Daddy taught me."

She pulled her jacket on and missed the pained look on her grandmothers face.

Toby straightened up in Arizona's arms, "Da!"

Arizona smiled warily and Barbara forced a smile on her face.

"He taught you well, honey. Let's go get some hot chocolate in to you."

Ella followed her grandmother out, waving bye to Toby and Arizona. Toby waved energetically from her arms, a skill he had just recently figured out and used vigorously, even if you were just leaving the room to walk in to the kitchen.

Arizona shut the door and looked at him, "Alright, mister. Shops?"

They made it to the shops, Arizona stopping in a cafe for a change of scenery. She brought Toby a babycino and had a Latte, the little boy making a mess of himself in seconds. She tried to ignore how people smiled at them, probably assuming mother and son, as they threw Toby delighted looks. With their blonde hair, dimples and bright blue eyes, it wasn't surprising people made that connection. It made her heart ache a little to think how wrong they were. She had always loved her niece and nephew, but it felt like cheating to have people assume that she was their mother. Especially considering how torn she had been, still was, if she was honest, about taking them on.

It was a strange feeling, to want them around her so much, yet at the same time miss her old life. She craved her freedom. She'd woken up in the middle of the night, Ella's knee in her back, and almost cried with how much she wanted to be just four months ago. Then that morning, she'd woken up and called Ella in sick so she'd be near, the previous nights events sitting heavily.

She swallowed her too hot latte and forced her thoughts back to the minute.

She smiled at Toby at one point after the fourth smile was thrown his way, "Not surprising, Tobes. You're pretty damn cute." He waved his spoon at her, grinning at the two women who smiled at him as they walked past the table. Arizona lowered her voice and whispered to him, "And you'd be a pretty good babe magnet, if I could be bothered with anything like that right now." He jammed his spoon in his mouth and giggled.

Her mothers words echoed around her head-so much like her father. Her mother wouldn't say as much in front of Toby, but she knew it wasn't just the grief she thought she needed to talk about, but what she was doing. Her mother had never understood her lack of desire to have kids, but she'd respected it. Knew it to be just a part of what made Arizona, Arizona. And here she was, with her brothers children, having babycinos and desperately trying to hold them all together with pancakes and animated movies, dumped and left without a brother or sister in law within moments of each other.

She missed adult company. She was starting to look forward to work, even with all of its complications with balancing the kids and rosters, for the chance to meet some people and get her brain thinking again. She missed surgery, the distraction and focus it required. The woman she'd met in the elevator, Teddy, seemed friendly. She'd try and take her up on the drinks offer-even if Arizona didn't feel like talking about her own things, it seemed Teddy had some stuff she'd openly talk about. Maybe it would help, distract her, get her feeling like herself again. Her mother would take the kids for a night or an afternoon, give her a break and she could have some adult company.

The sneaky idea that she'd been burying herself in the kids had come over her.

So soon she'd bury herself in work _and_ the kids.

#####

"No no no no nonononono!"

Arizona stood stock still, immobile, as if any sudden movement would cause this to get worse.

"No no no!"

Her eyes were wide and she had her hands raised slightly in the air as if someone was holding a gun to her.

"Nononononononono!"

Toby lay on the floor, kicking and screaming, red faced and covered in snot and fake tears.

She had no idea what had happened.

They'd been in the kitchen, unpacking the groceries, Toby his usual sweet and charming self. He'd grabbed at the packet of doughnuts in her hand. She'd said 'no' gently and pulled them away and put them on the top shelf of the pantry. When she'd turned around, ready to pick him up and take him upstairs for a sleep, his little face had been crumbling, his lower lip quivering and then he'd fallen to the floor in a big floppy mess and was in the middle of an excellent wobbly.

It almost looked like he was having a seizure.

And all Arizona could do was stare, her mouth slightly open.

Where had the incredibly cute, smiley boy gone?

She had no idea what to do in this situation. You can't talk sense to a sixteen month old. She'd never been left in charge of a child throwing this kind of tantrum. IF it happened at work the parents or interns or a nurse was around and she'd just, well, flee, was an accurate description.

When Ella had done it when she was younger, she'd just sidle out of the room, leaving Tim to calm her down. Or edge down the the store aisle and leave Sally frustratedly soothing her.

Her eyes widened. Thank God they weren't in public.

How embarrassing.

She stared at him, little fists thrashing and big tears on his screwed up face and considered calling her mother. She'd said to call if she had any questions, something Arizona had taken her up on several times. But she had the feeling her mom would laugh at her for this one.

Apparently Arizona had been quite good at throwing a good tantrum as a toddler. Her mother loved to bring that up.

Slowly, she squatted down.

"Uh-Toby?"

He didn't even hear her.

Did she do tough love? Or comfort? She kind of just wanted to ignore him.

Maybe that was the way to go.

Sally had once made a joke in the store, when Ella was throwing a fantastic one, people looking sideways at them, that if they were at home she'd just walk out of the room.

Maybe it wasn't a joke?

So Arizona stood, and went about packing up the groceries around him.

He'd stopped saying no and was now just making squealing noises.

She put everything away in the refrigerator and freezer, then put more things away in the pantry.

His screams slowed down to hiccups.

She started the dishes from that morning and heard the hiccups slow.

She turned around and looked at him. He was sitting on the floor, face covered in tears and eyes incredibly bright through them. His little bottom lip was still out, and he was staring up at her with the most miserable look.

She quirked an eyebrow at him, "All better?"

He sniffled miserably.

She tried not to smile.

He pushed himself up on the floor and held his arms up. She dried her hands on a tea towel and smiled softly at him, "Where's a happy Toby gone?"

She vaguely remembered hearing Tim say something of the sort to Ella when she'd gotten over one of hers.

And there, through his tears, he grinned at her, a real grin, the way only a toddler covered in tears could. She almost laughed with relief. She bent and scooped him up, placing kisses on the softness of his neck.

"How about we go for a sleep?"

She walked him up the stairs.

That had been terrifying.

Give her a child bleeding out any day.

#####

Arizona, feeling lazy, drove her and Toby down the road to the park at one. She told herself that it was threatening rain and that was why, but really, she just felt exhausted. Toby had slept over an hour, and Arizona had lain on the couch, meaning to use the spare time to catch up on emails and maybe make some calls to the electric company and start switching bills over from her brothers and Sally's name.

She found she didn't have it in her. Instead, she'd tidied up, restlessly moving around the house, throwing things in the washing machine-kids went through clothes like nothing she'd ever seen before.

She used to love her own company, but she found she couldn't settle.

Pulling up at the park, she saw Barbara seated on a blanket, reading a book while Ella played on the slide. The park was empty besides them, the wind whipping their hair around their heads. Arizona unbuckled Toby and lifted him out, holding his back against her front as she pointed in the direction of Barbara, whispering, "Go get Grandma!" She put him down and watched him bolt on unsteady legs to Barbara, calling, "Danma! Danma!" on the top of his lungs. Barbara looked up and held her arms out as he collided heavily with her, giggling loudly. Arizona walked up at a more sedate place, sitting down next to her mother cross legged.

"Aunty Na!" Arizona looked up and waved to Ella at the monkey bars, "Watch! I can make it all the way across now!"

"Well done, Ella Bella!"

Arizona greeted her mother, Barbara patting her knee.

She was just about to ask how their day had been when they heard a squeal and looked up just in time to see Ella plummet to the ground, arms out to brace herself.

Arizona and Barbara were up in a second, Arizona bolting over and reaching Ella before Barbara, who had scooped up Toby to bring him over, her face twisted in worry.

Ella was laying on the ground, clutching her wrist to her chest, face pale. Arizona squatted down next to her, heart pounding in her ears, "Ella? Ella, sweetie, are you okay?"

Ella didn't answer. Arizona scooped her up into a sitting position, hands running over her, eyes searching her body frantically for signs of blood or terribly injury. She ran her hands over her head, smoothing her hair, feeling no contusions, fingers coming away dry. Ella sat, wrist clutched to her chest still, eyes wide, face even paler, breaths coming out in shallow gasps.

"Ella, can you answer me?"

Ella blinked, eyes finally coming up to meet Arizona's, eyes slightly glazed. She gave a tiny shake of her head.

"What hurts? Your wrist?" She felt Barbara hovering over her, anxiety coming off her in waves. Ella nodded, her wrist was already swollen. Arizona ran a gentle hand over of it, assessing the swelling, watching Ella's face as she did so.

It was definitely broken.

She'd seen kids in pain, and many of them, most really, did exactly what Ella was doing now. When they were in pain, serious pain, they retreated to a place inside themselves.

Arizona looked behind her at Barbara, "I need to take her to the ER." She lowered her voice, "I think her wrist is broken. Can you take Toby home? Take the SUV, it has the car seat."

Barbara nodded, and Arizona scooped Ella up, carrying her to her Barbara's car, whispering about nothing in her ear as she did so. She put her in the front seat, pulling the seatbelt across her and buckling her in. Barbara hovered behind with Toby, watching Ella's face.

"It'll be okay, Ella sweetie. Aunty Na's a doctor, she'll look after you."

Ella stared straight ahead, cradling her wrist.

Arizona closed te door and turned to her mother, "What time did she last eat? And drink?"

Barbara thought for a moment, "She ate at eleven thirty. She had some water after that but nothing else. Why?"

"In case she needs surgery."

Barbara paled, "Really?"

Arizona exchanged keys with her mother, "She may not, I can only see swelling, the skins not broken, I can't feel an obvious deformity. But I can't tell for sure without an xray. It's definitely broken though. Everything else seems okay, I don't think she hit her head."

Barbara nodded, "Call me?"

"I'll let you know as soon as I do." Arizona leant forward, randomly wanting affection. She kissed her mother on the cheek, then Toby, "Be good, Tobes."

She slipped in to the car and pulled out of the parking lot, heading towards Seattle Grace Mercy West, the only hospital location she knew of. She talked to Ella the whole time, chattering to her. The little girl didn't answer, but Arizona kept it up, giving them both something else to think about. Arizona kept hearing her squeal as she fell, worry clenching her stomach each time.

She pulled in to the hospital in record time, helping Ella out of the car, "Can you walk, Ella Bella?"

Ella had nodded, eyes still glazed and face still pale. She wrapped her arm around the little girls shoulder and guided her through to the ER, presenting to the triage desk. There weren't many people in at the present, being early afternoon and a week day, and Arizona was grateful that all ER's saw children as quickly as possible. It only took ten minutes until they were whisked through, a kind nurse taking Ella's vitals and telling jokes, almost bringing a smile to her pale little face.

An intern appeared, and Arizona eyed him, face doubtful. He looked young enough to still be in highschool, "What are you here to do?"

He looked at her in surprise, his nerves written all over his face, "Uh-the initial exam?"

"Did you just answer me with a question?"

"Uh-no?"

Arizona sat next to Ella, who was sitting on the edge of the bed, still cradling her wrist. Arizona's chair was pulled right up alongside the bed, her arm around Ella's back, Ella's feet resting on her legs. She tried to reign in the protectiveness she was feeling. She worked in this field, she knew they had to learn. But not on her niece.

"What year are you?"

His eyes widened further, "Uh-this is my first."

She knew it. "How far in to your internship?"

"Three weeks?"

Arizona closed her eyes, "That's what I thought. How about you just get her some pain relief sorted out, order the x-ray and call an ortho consult. Her vitals were fine-check the chart."

"But, I-"

She raised her eyebrows at him, "Run along."

He swallowed, nodding, and fled.

She turned to Ella, who was looking at her, "You were mean to him, Aunty Na."

Arizona grinned, glad the little girl had finally spoke, even if it was to say that, "Yeah, I was. I'm getting you a good doctor. And something that's going to make your arm feel better."

A minute later, a nurse appeared with a tablet, smiling at Ella, "Do you feel like you can swallow a tablet, princess?"

Ella nodded, "I'm good at tablets. I take a vitamin everyday."

Arizona blinked. She hadn't known that-she should ask her mother what she'd been having.

The nurse sat next to her on the bed, handing her the tablet and a small shot of water, "Okay, do you think you can swallow it with such a tiny amount of water?"

Ella screwed up her face, "Why can't I have a big drink, I'm thirsty?"

Arizona chimed in, "Just in case it makes you sick, honey."

The nurse nodded. They didn't want to explain to a seven year old that she may need surgery and that she couldn't have a big drink before hand, especially if it turned out she didn't. They didn't want to scare her unnecessarily just yet.

"I'll try."

"Good girl."

The nurse tipped the tablet in to Ella's mouth, then the water, and Ella swallowed,opening her mouth and sticking her tongue out to show she'd swallowed it.

The nurse clapped, "I think that earns you a prize!"

Ella's eyes lit up a little. Arizona breathed a slight sigh of relief. Seeing Ella like that, pale and withdrawn, had almost been worse than seeing her crying the night before.

"A prize!?"

"Yup!" The nurse reached in to her pocket and pulled out a sheet of horse stickers, "You can have this _whole_ sheet for being so brave!"

Ella reached forward with her good hand, holding the other to her still, "Thank you!"

She took the stickers, looking them over.

Arizona smiled at the nurse, "Thank you."

The nurse winked, "No problem. Just call out if you need anything, the x-ray won't be long."

Arizona was impressed with how the hospital handled paeds so far. No waiting for the kids to get in to the ER, the nurses obviously paeds trained, supplies provided to keep kids distracted. They were in a children's bay, the walls covered in stickers of Winnie The Pooh.

The nurse disappeared and Arizona helped Ella pull off stickers, sticking them on Ella's shoes, on her shirt. Ella giggled and put one on Arizona cheek, Arizona poking her tongue out at her.

"Ella Robbins?"

She heard a voice she recognised and looked up in surprise, a pony sticker stuck to her cheek, to see the woman from the grocery store, Callie, standing at the end of the ER bed, looking down at Ella's chart. Arizona's eyes widened. She was dressed in dark blue scrubs with a lab coat over the top, sleeves pushed up past her elbows. Even in the circumstances, she couldn't help but notice Callie had incredible forearms.

Callie looked up, smiling at Ella on the bed, "You're Ella?" She asked kindly.

Ella nodded, "Yup."

Callie smiled, looking over at Arizona, "And this is your-" She stopped mid sentence, eyes widening, grin growing bigger, "Arizona!"

Arizona smiled sheepishly, "Callie. Hi."

"Uh-" She looked back to Ella, then to Arizona, "So it was you scaring my intern?"

Arizona looked even more sheepish, "Um. Maybe?"

Callie laughed, "I can't say I blame you."

"You work here?"

Callie looked down at her outfit then back at Arizona, "Uh-yeah."

"That's a coincidence."

"It really is."

"In more ways than one-I start here on Monday."

Callie's eyes widened, "What? Really?"

"Yeah, I'm the new head of pediatrics."

Callie laughed out loud, "Wow. That really is a coincidence."

Arizona nodded, "It is."

Ella glanced from one to the other, looking intrigued.

"No wonder you ran off the intern. You know too much."

Arizona laughed, "He looked incompetent."

"Most interns are."

"I bet you weren't." Arizona smiled.

Callie looked at her chart again, cheeks flushing slightly, tearing her eyes off Arizona as she remembered why she was here, "Ella? I hear you hurt your wrist?"

Ella, a second ago smiling, suddenly looked serious, nodding her head, "It hurts."

Callie pulled up a chair, seated so she was facing Arizona, alongside the bed, their knee's almost touching. Her eyes were on Ella, "Let me guess?" She flicked her eyes to Arizona then back to Ella, "Monkey bars or trampoline?"

Ella's eyes widened, "Monkey bars! How did you know?"

Callie chuckled, "I'm magic."

Arizona watched Callie check the chart to make sure Ella had had some pain relief before gently looking at her wrist, getting the little girl to wriggle her fingers, passively manipulating the joint to see what movement she had.

She smiled at Ella when she was done, who was holding her breath, "Well done. You're incredibly brave."

"Will I get a colourful thing on my arm?"

Callie smiled at her, "A cast?"

Ella nodded, "Yeah. Brodie got a blue one at school."

Callie grinned, "I'd say you will be getting one, honey, and you can have any colour you want. We just have to take some special photos of your wrist, then we'll see what we can do about that, okay?"

Ella nodded, going back to her stickers.

Callie turned to look at Arizona, "I don't think we'll need the OR. I think it'll be a manipulation with some sedation, or, if we're lucky, just a hairline break," she flicked her eyes to Ella to make sure she was still preoccupied, "We'll need the images to confirm, but it looks okay."

Arizona breathed a sigh of relief, "Thank god." She smiled, "I'm sure you're more than competent in the OR, but this is much better."

"Oh, I'm a genius with a scalpel. But you'll just have to see my skills first hand when you're working here rather than now." Callie grinned, looking back to the chart, knowing that comment had been laced with innuendo.

Arizona's eyes widened slightly. Had she imagined that? "Well, I'm sure we'll work together at some point."

Callie looked back up at her, "I really hope we do. You've come highly recommended from Hopkins."

Arizona shrugged, "Paeds is hardcore."

Callie laughed, "Well, you can give it back its edge. Your predecessor has ruined the department."

"Something to look forward to."

The intern from before suddenly appeared behind them, "Uh-Mrs Robbins, I'm here to take Ella to her x-ray, if, if um, that's okay with you?"

Callie bit back her smirk at how nervous he was with Arizona.

Arizona smiled, "Of course. And it's Miss, not Mrs. Or Doctor, really."

The interns eyes widened as he realised why Arizona had so easily scared him. He just nodded, "O-Okay."

Arizona missed Callies eyes flicker to her in interest when she corrected the 'Mrs' comment. She turned to her niece, "Ella Bella? We're going to go take photos of your wrist with a really big camera. I'm going to come and be there the whole time, okay?"

Her eyes flicked to the intern, daring him to argue. He just nodded emphatically.

Callie smirked openly this time, "I'll come back as soon as the scans are up, uh-_Miss _Robbins." She grinned as she got up, "I'll see you really soon, Ella."

Ella nodded sleepily. The pain medicine was taking full effect.

Arizona smiled at Ella affectionately, then looked up and saw Callie looking at her with a soft smile, "Thanks, Callie. I appreciate it."

"No problem at all. I'm working the ER today, so I won't be far away. Get me if you need anything, okay?"

Callie started to walk away, and Arizona nodded, smiling gratefully.

She stopped, "Oh, Arizona?" Arizona looked up, "That pony sticker on your cheek is, you're right, _incredibly_ hard core." She grinned as Arizona gave a laugh while sheepishly reaching up to peel the sticker off her cheek. Callie chuckled and walked off.

Arizona helped the sleepy Ella into the wheelchair and walked along side her to radiology, a smile on her lips. She helped set Ella up for the x-ray, reassuring the girl as she stared sleepily at the x-ray machine.

This wasn't how Arizona had planned to learn her way around the hospital. Or meet the new staff. Though technically, she'd met Callie while running her down in the supermarket-also not ideal.

The x-ray was over quickly, and Arizona helped Ella get settled on her bed. The little girl dozed, her pain relief knocking her out. She called her mother quickly, updating her and then stared blindly at her phone, flicking through things blindly, lost in thought.

So, Callie worked where she worked. And, from the looks of it, was a kick ass orthopaedic surgeon.

So much for never seeing her again.

Arizona was smiling softly, and she knew she probably looked a little like an idiot, but she couldn't help it. Callie had a smile that made her pulse speed up in a way that was a relief from the racing pulse she'd been experiencing since Tim had passed away. Arizona liked their conversations; they seemed to banter, the conversation easy. And she could swear that there had been an edge of flirtation to Callie's words.

Arizona glanced at Ella, peaceful as she slept, hair smoothed off her face. She sighed slightly. She really didn't have time for work, let alone women. And she was probably straight.

But a flirtation was harmless.

"Arizona!?"

Arizona's head whipped up and a delighted grin crossed her lips as she saw Teddy standing in front of her, "Teddy! Hi."

"What on Earth are you doing here?" She looked to the sleeping girl and back to Arizona, "What happened?"

Arizona shrugged, "Broken wrist. Monkeybar incident."

"I was going to say, monkey bars or trampoline?" They shared a wry grin, "She going to be okay?"

Arizona nodded, "She's in good hands. A doctor named Callie?"

Teddy nodded, smiling, "She's the ortho God around here, she's definitely safe." Teddy cocked her head as she looked at Ella, "You must've been worried."

"Scared me to death, actually. I've never seen her like that."

"Kids are resilient-but then, you'd know that."

Arizona laughed, "All my knowledge and experience and I was still terrified, and I'm in paeds."

"It's always different when they're you're own kids, though."

Arizona hesitated. This hadn't happened yet, the need to correct. It felt rude to the kids, to deny them as her children, but she couldn't let people assume she was their mother-there was only two people who would ever fill that parent role. "Uh. Actually, she's my brother's daughter."

Teddy nodded, then her eyes widened as she put two and two together, their last brief conversation about deceased loved ones coming back to her. She didn't even know the whole of the situation, yet her face became sympathetic, "Poor thing." Her eyes were trained on Ella, "Her mom must be struggling."

Arizona swallowed. She wasn't normally a sharer, but something about Teddy, even from their first meeting, made her feel kind of comfortable, "Sally-Sally passed away as well, they were in a car accident."

Teddy's face somehow became even more sympathetic. Though Arizona was relieved it wasn't pity, like many people would look at her when they found out, it was empathy, "That sucks." She it said simply, a fact.

Arizona nodded. They shared a look, two women hit down by life. Teddy's pager went off and she looked down at it, attached to the waistband of her scrubs.

"I gotta run." She paused, "Coffee on Sunday? We can discuss the impending moment of your first week as a newbie. Though you already know two of the best people, so it's looking up."

Arizona gave a soft smile, "That'd be great. Uh-" She didn't know if Teddy had realised she was actually the kids guardian, "I'll just have to check some stuff out. "

"No worries, here, write her your number down and I'll send you a text." She handed Arizona a pen and piece of paper taken from her pocket and Arizona wrote her number down, handing it over, "I'll hopefully see you Sunday, Arizona."

Arizona smiled after her.

Her mother would be so proud.

She looked over at Ella, still fast asleep, then up and around the hectic ER. Callie was standing at the desk, looking at something on a computer screen, nodding to herself. Arizona raked her eyes down her form then made herself look back up to her face. She was perving while her niece was in th ER with a broken wrist. Classy.

She watched Callie grab a chart and started walking towards their bed. She looked up and caught Arizona's eyes, smiling at her.

"Good news." She said softly when she was standing in front of her, glancing at the sleeping Ella, "It's a clean, hairline fracture. Won't even need to manipulate it. Just a back slab cast for a week to accommodate the swelling, then bring her in to the cast clinic and we'll x-ray again to ensure nothings shifted, and change her to a fibreglass cast."

Arizona sighed, smiling and relieved, "Thank God. I really didn't want to put her through a manipulation, even with sedation. Just the pain relief knocked her out."

Callie chuckled, looking down at Ella, "It really did. That cast will only need to be on for four weeks and then hopefully, all going well, we can take it off and she'll be good to go."

They gently woke Ella, explaining the process to her. Her main concern was she'd have a 'boring' cast for a week, but perked up when she heard that everyone could draw all over it. Callie was paged away, the head of orthopaedics unfortunately too busy to stick around to cast her arm, as much as she looked like she wanted to. She called in the intern to do it, after Arizona approved (no one could mess up casting) and with regret in her eyes, had to run off.

Ella sat up on the bed in the casting room, looking around with wide eyes. In no time, they were good to go, Arizona with a pocket of simple pain meds Ella should only really need while it was swollen. They signed some paper work and got their appointment made for a week away, and they started to walk out, Ella's arm in a collar and cuff sling.

"Arizona!"

Arizona and Ella paused at the ER exit doors, turning around to see Callie running up behind them.

Arizona and Ella both smiled. Callie raised her eyes at them, "Woah. Same dimples." She smiled in a way that made Arizona want to bat her eyelashes like a fifteen year old.

Ella giggled, "That's 'cause we're related."

Callie raised her palm up to her forehead, "Oh! Of course it is." She winked at Ella, "Silly me." Ella laughed again. Callie knelt down in front of her, pulling a pen out of her pocket, "I was wondering if I could be the first to sign your cast?"

Ella's eye's lit up and she nodded eagerly, "Okay!"

Callie grinned, eyes flicking up to catch Arizona's amused eyes before back to the cast Ella was holding up, having to use her free hand to take some of the weight she was yet to get used to. Callie draw a large, simple flower, raising her eyebrows when she heard Arizona's soft chuckle, "Hey." She murmured, "I'm an artist in the OR, not so much with a pen."

Ella smiled, "I like it, Doctor Callie."

Callie grinned at her, "I knew you'd appreciate me, Ella." Callie was adding some detail Arizona couldn't see. She signed it off with a flourish, "There!" She stood up and Arizona laughed out loud when she saw she'd added her phone number. Callie grinned at Ella, "If you have any broken bone concerns Ella, you can call me."

Ella bounced a little, "Okay!"

"But if not, I'll see you in a week." Callie looked at Arizona, cocking her head and smiling as she folded her arms, "And if not, feel free to call me if you want a tour of the hospital on your first day, Arizona." She held her eyes for a second, then looked back to Ella, "Now, be careful on those monkey bars!"

She threw them both a grin and turned, walking off.

Ella slipped her free hand in to Arizona's as they both looked after her, "I like her." She stated.

Arizona looked down at her, smiling, Ella looking up at her, eyes bright.

"Me too, Ella Bella."

####


	6. Chapter 6

**Title: **Changes  
**Author: **gabs88  
**Pairing: **Callie/Arizona  
**Summary: **When Arizona's brother dies in a car crash with his wife, she is named guardian of his two children. What does this mean for the life of someone who never wanted her own kids, let alone anyone elses?  
**Rating: **T  
**Disclaimer: **All characters belong to ABC/Shonda Rhimes.  
**Note: **Gah-you're all amazing. Thank you so much for the reviews :) Love reading them all.

**Chances  
Chapter Six**

Arizona snuck down the hallway, peeking her head in to Toby's room, tiptoeing up to look down in his crib. All she could see was the back of his little blonde head and a fist flung up next to it, fingers curled around his thumb. He was snoring softly, fast asleep. Arizona picked up his pacifier and moved it to the far corner of the cot. He was waking up less and less without it in, slowly not asking for it during the day. It was a quiet war, a battle of wills, and Toby, a stubborn toddler who, she had learnt, could throw a fit one second and bat his big beautiful baby blue eyes at you the next, was losing.

She padded quietly out and walked to Ella's room, pushing the door open slightly; Arizona had learnt quickly to not shut the door completely and to leave the hall light on. She rest one hand on the door frame and one on the door handle, leaning in to see the light falling across Ella's bed. She smiled softly as she looked at her, sprawled on her back, arm in its cast over her head. She was out cold, vulnerable. Completely trusting that, in her sleep, she would be kept safe. It was Saturday night, and after having to keep the cast dry in the bath with a plastic garbage bag, Ella was already fed up with her broken wrist and it had only been just over twenty four hours.

Arizona pulled the door over, allowing a sliver of light to enter the room. She padded quietly down the stairs, in to the kitchen. She pulled out a half empty bottle of white, grabbed a wine glass, patted her pocket to make sure what she really wanted was there, and headed out the back door. The screen door quietly behind her, making sure the back door stayed open so she could hear sneaky seven year old foot steps or baby cries, and she sat down on the back porch step with a sigh. Wine poured in to her glass, she put the bottle on the step next to her foot and leant against the banister, the wood digging in to her shoulder.

Taking a sip, her glass then joined the wine bottle and she slid her hand in to her pocket and pulled out barely used packet of cigarettes. Pulling one out, she raised her lighter up and lit it, breathing in deeply before blowing the smoke out, tilting her head to watch it drift up. She blinked sleepily and took another drag, staring at the stars overhead.

She could look at stars all night.

Dropping the packet next to the wine bottle, she took another sip of wine.

Her mother would kill her, if she could see her now.

She'd been caught with cigarettes when she was sixteen, and her mother had stood behind her father as he yelled her, arms crossed and an incredibly disappointed look on her face. It had been that look that had made her feel guilty, not her fathers yelling or the grounding or the two weeks of incredibly intense 0530 PT sessions.

It hadn't stopped her at the time, but she had smoked less, seen it as less of a rebellion, not as fun. She hid it better, too. She had pretty much stopped by her second year of college, it becoming a secret vice she succumbed to when she felt stressed or guilty.

Over the years, it had become something she did only when she had done something wrong, a guilt reliever, reacting to stress with sex or a wine instead. Jayde had found her once, head out of their tiny bathroom window, able to smell the smoke from the living room, and purely raised her eyebrows at her, crossed her arms and asked, "What you do?".

She'd gotten called by Jayde's mother and agreed to spend last Thanksgiving with them in Minnesota.

Jayde was _pissed_.

This time?

She'd broken her brother's daughter.

Arizona was logical. She knew these things happened. She was a pediatric surgeon, for crying out loud. She knew children broke bones, caught terrible diseases, fell down. And nine out of ten times, they got right back up again, none worse for wear.

But she'd seen the parents, the guilt, the terror. They tore themselves apart with blame and angst.

Arizona had always been the calming voice. "These things happen". Her token line.

So yes, she _knew_ she wasn't to blame. But that didn't mean she didn't feel it was her fault.

But, barely past the fortnight mark of being the kids guardian, she'd already broken one of them. Arizona bit at her thumbnail, then took another drag.

This, right here? This was one of the big reasons she never wanted kids.

Now here she was, instant family, just add Arizona.

And one of the members was broken. Literally.

And she'd used part of the time she'd been broken to flirt with an incredibly attractive ortho surgeon. Who had flirted with her, first. And given her her number-kind of.

She breathed in deeply, the smoke filling her lungs in a move that shouldn't be a comfort.

She needed to ask her mother, soon, if she'd ever been this over ran with guilt any time her and Tim had hurt themselves. Tim broke his arm twice as a kid, both times falling out of a tree. Arizona had once fractured her tibia, something she remembered blaming Tim for at the time. There was a vague recollection of riding her bike down a dirt track, and him poking a stick at her wheel.

Strangely, everything after that was a black.

She smiled wryly, staring up. God, she'd been mad. She'd missed camp that summer because of him. Granted, he'd refused to go to his soccer camp or computer camp or whatever it was, and had stayed at home with her, feet up on the coffee table next to hers, decorating her cast and watching movies.

She felt a lump swelling in her throat and her eyes burn. Her head, for one moment of defeat to her feelings, dropped to rest on her palm, elbow on her knees, cigarette smouldering near her hair.

Fuck, she missed her brother.

She missed talking to him, hearing his laugh. While accidentally calling him had ripped a new hole in her, she kind of wanted to do it again to hear his voice, to have it wash over her. She wanted to ask him about raising kids, and if he was mad Ella had broken his arm. If she was doing okay with Toby, was it right to start taking away his pacifier? When should she pack up his room?

She sucked in a deep breath and sat up straighter. Her eyes were red, cheeks dry and she blew out the breath, a shuddering noise. Sometimes it felt like if she let herself fall in to that feeling, she'd never crawl out. And she just couldn't let that happen. Not with the kids, not with, well, that terrifying loss of control.

Pulling at her phone, she looked down at the text she'd received that morning.

Teddy.

_Arizona! Coffee? Tomorrow? I'm free all day, like morning or afternoon or whatever. I don't want to sound like the desperate widow, but I am. So hang out with me? Coffee?_

She'd been with the kids all day, and with her mother and father at their house with the kids that evening. She knew it was getting late, but she figured it'd be okay to text Teddy back anyway. She looked at her watch and her eyes widened in amusement at her self.

It was just going nine. It was not late, by any means. How these kids had changed her life.

She sent a quick reply to Teddy.

_Coffee, say two? Though I have no idea where to go in this city. I know lots of nice places in Maryland?_

And a quick text to her mother.

_Hey Mom, can you have the kids from two tomorrow fora couple of hours? I was going to get coffee with one of the work girls._

She sipped her wine and stubbed out her cigarette, hiding the butt in the packet. Her phone gave a single bleep and she opened a reply from Teddy.

_Well, I know you know where the hospital is-two streets over, Campbell Drive? There's a coffee place called Campbells. Meet you there at two? Their coffee is not as bland as their name._

Arizona smiled and text back.

_Campbells it is, I'm looking forward to it, bland coffee or not._

And she genuinely was.

She looked up at the sky, finding shapes in the stars, when her phone bleeped again. Looking down at it, she laughed out loud.

Her mom.

_Oh thank god, you're not turning in to a hermit. I'd love to have Fella and root for the afternoon._

She raised her eyebrows at her phone and waited, smirking. Sure enough, it bleeped again five minutes later, Arizona sipping her wine in amusement.

_Ella and Toby! I hate touchscreens. How do you communicate like this all the time? Call me from now on._

####

"So Owen, my future Chief of Surgery, and your best friend slash ex flirtation slash love, had your protegé perform surgery on your husband without knowing it was him. And then when it went wrong, he didn't tell you and lied to you about it so you'd finish the surgery you were doing?"

Teddy nodded, "Don't forget that he made Yang join me in surgery and pretend everything was okay-I made her 'woo'."

Arizona was wordless. She kind of gaped at Teddy, latte glass half raised to her lips.

Teddy raised her eyebrows and nodded, "Mhm. Can't make this stuff up." She sipped her coffee, "Okay, your turn."

Arizona drew in a deep breath. She could do it, like this. The half joking, the off the cuff way they were sharing. She put her glass down, "Okay. My brother and his fiance died in a car accident, leaving behind two tiny children. My girlfriend of the time, Jayde, and I flew over for the funeral, and at the will reading, found out he named me guardian of the kids."

Teddy's eyebrows raised higher; she just kept looking at Arizona, waiting for more.

"I never wanted kids, ever, it was why Jayde and I worked. I agreed to take them on, Jayde left me and now I live in my dead brothers house, and am attempting to raise his kids. In a city that I hate." Arizona picked her glass back up, "No offense."

Teddy leant back in her chair, "Woah." A playful smile crossed her lips, "Wait, you're gay?"

Arizona laughed, "That's what you focussed on in that?"

Teddy shrugged, "Yeah, well, the rest was too much like a soap opera. I'm glad it's not just my life that reads like one."

"Nope, you're not special at all."

"Obviously."

Arizona was, surprisingly, enjoying coffee with Teddy, a lot. She barely knew the woman, and Arizona was the kind of person who normally took an incredibly long time to warm up to someone enough to share intimate details. But here? Sat in a coffee shop, rain pouring down outside, with a woman whos grief matched her own? She found herself comfortable, able to share. Teddy was funny, dry in a way that Arizona enjoyed. There was no pity party, no woe is us. Just truth and a joke and the odd eye contact that spoke volumes.

Maybe Seattle wouldn't be so bad.

"So you were a surgeon in Iraq?"

Teddy nodded, "Yeah for years. I loved it."

"That's amazing work. My brother was over there, serving." Arizona still had trouble saying Tim's name. It was something she found herself tripping over. "He spoke highly of the medics."

"How long did he serve?"

"Five years. He moved in to administration when Sally fell pregnant with Toby-he had a near miss in a convoy and just couldn't do it anymore."

"Were you and Sally close?"

Arizona ran her finger around the rim of her glass, eyes down cast to watch it as she spoke. She may be warming up to talking, but it was still a natural instinct for her to change the subject, "I was." She said simply.

"That must've been hard, losing your brother and a friend."

Arizona bit her lower lip, "He was my best friend, and so was she. We were all really close."

Teddy tilted her head, watching her. Words fell from Arizona's lips.

"Sally and I got along the second we met. We used to stay up for hours drinking wine and just chatting. T-He loved that we were close."

"You and your brother were best friends?" Teddy kind of smiled, "That would have been nice."

"We were army brats, moved from place to place. We stopped trying to make new friends every time and just, glued together."

"Ah, army brat. See, that's why we get along."

Arizona smiled, "How did you meet your husband?"

"We met in an elevator and he asked if he looked okay to propose to his girlfriend."

Arizona laughed, "The start of all great romances."

"Oh, completely." Teddy's look was soft as she studied her coffee, "We were talking kids, before it happened. We thought we were on the way to having his health stable."

Arizona leant forward and rest her arm on Teddy's forearm, "That sucks." She stated, repeating Teddy's sentiment from the other day. Teddy nodded. "You know," Arizona squeezed her arm gently, "I have two kids, if you want 'em?"

She was relieved when Teddy laughed out loud at the off colour joke, "You can keep them."

Arizona smiled and leant back in her chair, wrapping her fingers around her latte glass, "How is it, Teddy? Working there, where you met him?"

Teddy drew in a sharp breath, "That's the million dollar question." She studied her cappuccino, almost empty, "It's shit. He's everywhere, in that hospital. I've thought about leaving but-I don't know. Owen is, in pain. Even without that, something keeps me there. And there's this perky new blonde that seem's alright that's starting."

Arizona grinned, "I hear she's awesome."

"Do you find it like that at his house?"

Arizona shrugged slightly, "I do. I avoid their room like the plague, though I really need to do something with it. Ella avoids it, too, but I've had to distract Toby away from it a few times when he's sat outside it, banging on the door."

"How young is he?"

"He's just gone sixteen months."

"Too young to get it."

"Exactly."

"How's Ella's arm."

"Okay. She's cranky and over the cast, I think the fibreglass one will make it easier. It's lighter and waterproof." She smiled at the waitress as she put down another coffee for each of them, "And it'll be colourful." She added dryly.

"The important things, then." Teddy smiled, pulling her new cup towards her.

"Toby had his first tantrum the other day."

Tedd's eyebrows raised, "How was that?"

"Terrifying. Thank God we were at home. I'd rather a kid with an aortic bleed than that."

"So, you really weren't a kid person before?"

Arizona shrugged, "I loved being an aunty. But kids just, they were something I knew a long time ago I didn't want. It was never a decision I wavered in."

"And then you were forced to."

"Exactly." She sipped her drink, "I don't resent the kids, at all. For awhile, I wanted my parents to take them, because kids don't deserve to be with someone who doesn't want them one hundred percent." She stared in to her coffee.

"What changed your mind?"

"My brother." She said simply, "I remember him saying once that he never wanted the kids to grow up with our parents. He'd talked to mum, even, to explain he wanted it to be me. He never had the conversation with me, though, not really."

Teddy looked surprised, "Really?"

"I think he knew I would've said no."

"Well, can't really argue with him now."

"Right?!" Arizona's voice had raised slightly and she looked around sheepishly, "I may still be angry at him."

"Anger's the easiest thing to be."

They exchanged a knowing look.

Teddy brought her mug up, elbows balanced on the arms of her chair as she leant back in her seat, "So. Callie's nice, hm?"

"Most unsubtle segue ever."

Teddy shrugged, "I feel this coffee date has removed the need for me to be subtle."

Arizona laughed, "Callie's nice, yes."

"I hear you ran her over with a shopping cart?"

Arizona's cheeks reddened slightly, "Ah-maybe." A thought occurred to her, "Wait, she told you about that? She talked about me before the ER?"

Teddy just grinned like the Cheshire cat.

####

Arizona came home feeling better than she had in weeks. She'd made a new friend, a contact, someone who she could use bad humour with and a simple look to convey that she missed her brother. It was amazing what joined grief could do, how it could bring two people together.

They'd wrapped up coffee with agreeing to have lunch the next day at work, and Arizona had gotten in her mums car with a warm feeling sitting in her gut.

She walked through the front door and before she could blink a blur hit her legs and she looked down to see Toby wrapped around them.

"Na!"

Arizona felt herself melt slightly as he stared up at her adoringly. She bent down and lifted him up, swinging him on to her hip, "Hey, little man." She pressed her face against his soft baby cheek and he giggled, "What you been doing, you have fun?"

"Poo!"

Arizona stopped dead in her walk to the kitchen and raised her eyebrows at him, "I'm sorry, what?"

"Poo, Na!"

He was grinning, a smear of what looked like icing sugar on his face.

Barbara poked her head around the door, "We went to the _pool_, Aunty Arizona."

Arizona looked relieved and laughed loudly, "Oh! Did you have fun at the pool, Tobes?"

"Poo! Poo!"

She nodded, walking him through to the kitchen and putting him down, where he immediately ran to the table and started pulling himself up on a chair. Arizona walked forward and held the back of the chair steady while he huffed and puffed. If she tried to help, there'd be a cry of, "Toby do!".

She leant over and kissed Ella on the top of her head, who was colouring in, a serious look of concentration on her face, "Nice colouring, Ella Bella."

"Thanks."

Kids take praise so readily.

Arizona looked up at her mother, who was icing cup cakes, "Busy afternoon, Mum?"

Barbara nodded, "We went to the pool for an hour and then made cupcakes-I thought you could take them to Toby's day care at work."

She needed to take cupcakes? Good, God. She needed a handbook. "Thanks. They look great."

"The kids helped me ice them."

Arizona looked closely at the uneven blobs of pink frosting, "They look-amazing." She pursed her lips and Barbara winked at her.

She ruffled Toby's hair and pulled a handful of paper and pencils closer to him before walking in to the kitchen. She walked in and on a whim, wrapped her arms around her Mother from behind. Barbara put down the icing spatula and turned, wrapped her arms around Arizona. The way her mom clung to her for a moment, fingers gripping her back, told Arizona she needed to do this more often. Her mother pulled back, eyeing her.

"What was that for?"

Arizona shrugged, "Nothing. I just love you." Her eyes widened as her Barbara's eyes welled up. She quickly pulled her back in for another hug.

"Why are you hugging Grandma?"

Arizona looked over Barbara's shoulder at Ella, who was kneeling on the chair to colour in, looking at them both curiously.

"Because, sometimes people just need a hug."

Ella nodded, "They do."

Barbara pulled back, gave a sniff and a quick wipe of her eyes and went back to her cupcakes. Arizona smiled slightly, walking around the kitchen bench, she walked up to the table and behind Ella's chair, wrapping her arms around the girls middle. She lifted her up, Ella squealing, and squeezed her, before plopping her back down again, arms still wrapped around her. She buried her face in the back of the girls neck and blew a raspberry, Ella giggling and trying to wriggle away.

"Aunty Na! That tickles!"

"What, I was giving you a cuddle."

"That wasn't a cuddle!"

"Oh, really?"

And she did the whole thing again, Toby laughing madly as he watched, yelling, "Poo!" over and over again.

Hours later, the kids in bed, Arizona wandered downstairs and opened the fridge, looking inside. Barbara had made two lunch boxes filled with food for the kids, ready to go for the morning, and Arizona sent a silent thanks to her. There were the cupcakes, ready to go. Arizona would drop Ella off to her mothers at seven thirty tomorrow morning, and she'd take her to school. Arizona would get Toby to day care at the hospital and be ready to go for an eight am start. They were yet to sort out night shifts and on calls, but they figured they'd just take it as they came.

Arizona was feeling a little bit guilty about putting Toby in day care-he'd always been at home with Sally. She hadn't yet gone back to work. She was worried he'd hate it or she would be doing some kind of permanant damage or Sally would've been disappointed.

She was worried constantly, really. Barbara had left, grasping Arizona's forearm for a moment and forcing her to make eye contact, "You're handling this, Arizona. And not only that, but you're doing brilliantly."

Arizona had swallowed past a lump and her mother had whisked out the door.

She closed the fridge and wandered over to the kettle, switching it on and pulling out tea bags, one going in a large mug. She stood and stared vaguely at it while waiting on the hot water.

Ella was doing a little better, but she'd caught her walking from the bathroom that evening. The little girl had edged along the wall past her parents room, as if scared of it. She'd been quiet when Arizona had gone in to read a chapter of Matilda to her, almost pensive.

She supposed she should expect it to come and go, for a long time. She needed to talk to Ella's counsellor this week at school, maybe have a chat to her teacher.

The kettle boiled, she poured the hot water in, added a splash of milk and sat herself down on the floor in the livingroom, leaning against the couch, legs stretched out in front of her. She turned the TV on and flicked it to a New channel.

Starting work tomorrow. It felt like she was really starting this new life by starting work. Cementing herself in it. She sipped her tea and tried to ignore the nervous butterflies. Reaching forward, she grabbed her phone and stared at it for a moment, debating. Swallowing, she went for it.

_Hey, Callie. It's Arizona. Still up for that tour? I'm in HR until nine._

Five minutes later, her phone went off.

_Definitely still up for the tour. Turn down the HR one, the guys that takes you smells like BO. I'll meet you at nine at HR with a coffee from the good coffee cart, and I promise to smell nice._

Arizona smiled.

_I'll judge the outcome of that promise in the morning. There's a bad coffee cart?_

She sipped her tea and waited.

_Isn't there always? Don't worry, the tour will show the places to avoid. Like the level three on call room-you'll get pregnant just sitting in there._

She laughed out loud.

_Can't wait._

She leant back against the couch.

_See you at nine, Arizona :) Glad you ran in to me with the shopping cart. Never thought I'd say that._

Arizona sat for a minute, thumb resting on the screen.

_I've never been happier to cause a bruise._

She sipped her tea some more.

_Tomorrow I demand the story of that chin bruise as payment for the tour :)_

Arizona took another long sip. She didn't know is she wanted to share her history with Callie. The reason behind the bruise, while a pretty damn funny story (now) came with a big back log of 'I'm a recent full time guardian of two charming but slightly traumatized children'. She hadn't minded sharing with Teddy, at all, surprisingly. And she'd filled in the chief so he knew where she stood, as his employee he needed to know.

But sharing that with Callie? Something made her want to hold it back.

She was worried about scaring her off.

Arizona groaned and dropped her head back.

And epic crush on a crazy hot, incredibly flirty orthopaedic Attending.

How perfect. What a great side note to the drama that was her life right now.

But she couldn't help herself.

_That story is worth more than just a tour._

She gnawed at her thumb nail for a moment.

_I'll think of something..._

A grin took over her face.

_See you at nine._

She watched the TV, barely taking any of it in, a smile on her face as the house settled around her.

####


	7. Chapter 7

**Title: **Changes  
**Author: **gabs88  
**Pairing: **Callie/Arizona  
**Summary: **When Arizona's brother dies in a car crash with his wife, she is named guardian of his two children. What does this mean for the life of someone who never wanted her own kids, let alone anyone elses?  
**Rating: **T  
**Disclaimer: **All characters belong to ABC/Shonda Rhimes.  
**Note: **Thanks again for all of your reviews, everyone :) They're such a pleasure to read. I'm so glad most seem to be liking this, it's so great reading your thoughts and views :)

**Chances  
Chapter Six**

The day had barely started, and Arizona was exhausted. How did single moms do it? How did single, working moms do it? They'd been up at six am, the time not something Arizona, as a surgeon, struggled with. But the getting two children, one of whom could barely feed himself, let alone dress himself, ready in time was something that was going to take some practice.

She walked in to the entrance of the hospital, Toby on her hip and his Spongebob backpack on her back, with five minutes to get him to daycare and find HR. When she finally managed to get to the daycare, she found herself almost reluctant to hand him over to the attendant. The woman didn't didn't look a day over twenty.

But then the redhead gave Toby a friendly smile, and Toby grinned back.

"Hello! You must be Toby Robbins?" She looked to Arizona,"And you're Doctor Robbins? We spoke on the phone, I'm Tanya, the co-ordinator here."

Arizona smiled, feeling slightly better, "Hey, Arizona is fine, and this," She jiggled Toby on her hip, causing him to smile again, "is my nephew, Toby."

Tanya looked back to Toby, "My gosh, you two look alike. Hi Toby! You want to come do some puzzles?"

Arizona hugged him slightly harder to her, "He loves blocks. And trains."

Tanya smiled, "We have lots of those here."

Arizona slid Toby down her body, standing him on the floor, and felt his little arms wrap around her legs. She looked down at him, "Tobes, they have lots of trains."

He looked up at Arizona, "Twain, Na?"

Tanya knelt down so she was eye level with Toby, smiling. This woman was made for child work.

"We have lots of trains. I think there's some Thomas ones."

Toby's eyes lit up but his arms didn't move from Arizona's legs.

When she'd called the daycare and spoken to Tanya, she'd filled her in on the situation, figuring it was a fact she'd need to know about. They'd ended up chatting about the first day, and how Toby may struggle with being left, especially in his circumstances. How often, the easiest thing was to get him occupied, give him a quick goodbye and leave.

It hadn't been mentioned that Arizona may struggle to leave him, and that his little fingers would dig in to her knee as he clung on, the understanding that she was going somewhere away from him seeming to hit him.

She swallowed heavily. She hadn't been away from him for longer than a few hours in the last fortnight.

Arizona rest her hand on his head, "Shall we look at Thomas, Tobes?"

Toby looked up at her and grabbed her hand, and Tanya, ever perky, jumped up and led the way. She sat herself down cross legged on the floor and started pulling out trains from a bucket. Arizona sat down across from her and Toby sat himself in her lap, reaching over and grabbing at a train, holding it up delightedly to show them. Arizona leant her chin on Toby's head, leaning forward and taking hold of a train. Tanya chattered to Toby, who rammed trains together in the violent manner of play he had sometimes.

Arizona slowly lifted him off her lap so he sat on the ground, and with a look at Tanya, left his backpack on the floor and slowly slid back, standing up and taking a few steps backwards. Toby had his head buried in the bucket filled with trains and cars.

She smiled at Tanya, who nodded at her and smiled too, and just as she went to turn, and say a cheery and nonchalant 'bye, Tobes,' she heard, "No! Na!"

She looked back and Toby was standing, a train in each hand and looking at her with wide eyes and a look of utter betrayal on his little face.

Tanya had said that, with everything, Toby may not react well to being left.

Arizona forced a smile and waved, "I'll be back soon, Toby!"

Toby dropped the trains and ran at her, wrapping his arms around her legs again, clinging, tears already spilling down his cheeks, "No! Na! No! No!" He looked up at her, trying to scale up her body, "Stay!"

Arizona felt her heart break for him. She looked helplessly at Tanya, who had stood and was walking over to them. She looked at her, and Tanya, realising Arizona couldn't do it, reached down and picked Toby up.

His fingers clung to her jeans and Arizona had to fight the urge to reach down and pick him up and walk them out of there.

She took a deep breath in, smiling at the boy who was crying hysterically in a strangers arms, "I'll see you soon, Tobes. You play with Tanya and Thomas, okay?"

Toby hiccupped and reached for her. Arizona flicked her eyes up at Tanya, who was smiling reassuringly, and who mouthed, "Go, it's okay" to her.

Arizona smiled at Toby and stepped back, walking out with "Na! Na!" echoing in her ears.

She took in a deep breath and let it out slowly, pulling the strap of her bag on to her shoulder better, walking down the hallway. She looked at her watch, she was only five minutes late.

She got in the elevator and swallowed hard.

She'd seen children do that. She'd seen it a lot, in her profession. Parents who had to leave for work, or even to go just get some time out. Kids fell apart, and, literally five minutes later, were back to their happy selves with some distraction and a smiling face taking care of them.

Toby would be fine. Arizona knew that. But it still didn't feel good. She could still feel his little finger prints digging in to her skin.

But he would be fine. Arizona would phone, later, and he would be fine. She might even stop in right before her lunch break just to see it.

She knew she was being silly. That he would be settling even as she was fretting. That it usually stuck to the parents more than it did to the kids.

She made her way to HR and got sucked in to almost an hours worth of paperwork and even a fifteen minute DVD on hand hygiene.

She'd raised her eyebrows at it the entire time. Seriously? She was a world class surgeon.

They wrapped up ten minutes early, and Arizona was approached by a squat balding man in a terrible suit. He introduced himself as Barry, handed her her security pass and offered to give the tour. Arizona, trying not to breath in the strong smell of BO and show an amused smile, politely shook her head and said she'd be okay. He shrugged and wandered off, leaving Arizona backing out of the room to escape the stench. She shoved her copies of various bits of paperwork in her bag and pocketed her ID.

She stood leaning against the wall outside the HR offices and pulled her cellphone. She smiled when she saw a text from Callie.

_Seriously, don't breath in through your nose when he stands near you. I, on the other hand, smell like Mark Jacobs. Getting coffee now, see you soon for tour :)_

Arizona quickly sent a reply

_Please tell me it's Mark Jacobs, Lola. actually, don't tell me. I'll take a guess when you get here. All done and dying for a coffee :)_

She hit send and then hit '3' on her speed dial. She raised her phone to her ear.

"Hi, Tanya? It's, ah, Arizona Robbins. I just wanted to see-"

_"Toby's doing great, now." _She could hear the smile in the womans words.

Arizona laughed a little sheepishly, "I figured he would be. I just wanted to hear it."

Tanya laughed, _"I don't blame you. What you saw was a daily show for some of the kids. And Toby's got lots of adjusting to do-but they all settle within a few minutes and have a great day. He's currently gluing macaroni to a piece of paper. Well, and to his hair. It's washable glue, don't worry."_

Arizona laughed again, this time far more relaxed, "Thank you, Tanya."

_"No worries. Call at any time, or stop in if you need. But I promise, he's all good now."_

"I believe you. Thanks, I'll see you tonight."

_"Bye."_

"Bye."

Arizona hung up, still smiling, and looked up to see Callie walking towards her, two giant coffee cups in hand, a huge grin breaking over her lips as Arizona looked up.

Arizona couldn't help but smile harder, "Hey, there." She tried to not look the woman up and down, her legs going on forever in black jeans and shirt cut just low enough to show cleavage. She bit her bottom lip to control the urge to stare openly.

Callie held out one of the coffees, Arizona reaching forward gratefully, "You survived HR. Well done."

Arizona laughed, tilting her coffee "Thanks," she said, "And yeah, I did." Her voice went mock serious, "They made me watch a DVD on hand hygiene, Callie."

"Oh, you get to watch that one annually."

Arizona's eye widened, "Seriously?"

Callie nodded, taking a sip of her coffee, "Yup. I just saw it last month. I love the bit about how if you sing happy birthday in your head, that's how long you should wash your hands for."

"Or how long to rub in the alcohol hand rub, don't forget." Arizona grinned.

Callie laughed, "That's about when I vague out and start answering emails on my phone."

"Nice work ethic." Arizona's voice was playful.

"Oh, I'm impressive."

"I believe that." Arizona smiled over her coffee cup and Callie's eyes widened slightly before she cast her eyes to the ground, grinning.

"Shall we start the tour?"

"Lead the way."

Callie started them walking down the hallway and to the elevator Arizona had come out of an hour earlier. As they waited for the elevator to arrive, Callie looked to her, "I thought we'd start back down at the entrance and go from there?"

"Start at the beginning?"

"Best way to do it."

Arizona was grinning as they stepped in to the elevator. Every conversation with them seemed to leave her feeling lighter, smiling.

Two people quickly stepped in after them and they both found themselves stepping backward and into the corner slightly to make room, smiling politely at the two intruders. Their shoulders brushed and Arizona turned her head, Callie turning to look at her, smiling. Their faces were inches apart, and Arizona tilted her head slightly as they locked eyes; a sweet smell had invaded her senses.

"Lola." She whispered, her lips curling up.

Callie's smile widened, her voice low, "Live up to expectations?"

Arizona leant forward, a barely perceptible movement, and breathed in, eyes still on Callie's, "Definitely."

They tore their eyes apart as the doors opened, the annoying 'ding' snapping them out of it. Callie followed the two people out, Arizona following her.

Arizona was being a little bold, and she slid her hand in to her pockets, thinking that she just couldn't help it, the woman smelt good.

And seriously, that smile.

Callie led her around the entrance, showing her the staff entry in to the ER, or the Pit as they called it here. At Hopkins, they'd called it Ground Zero. She introduced her to a perky red head, Kepner, who was the Chief Resident. Arizona would be working with a fair amount as she was focused on trauma and continuously in the Pit. When she heard that part, her eyebrows had raised.

Callie had laughed and as they walked away, lowered her voice and said, "I know, right, but she surprisingly kicks ass under pressure."

Arizona liked being surprised by people, and the idea of the Kepner girl being a trauma surgeon certainly surprised her.

Callie led them up and in to the elevators they used to transport emergency cases from the Pit to the OR, showing her how her ID worked to by pass the elevator stopping anywhere but their floor and the OR. She led her through to the theatres, and Arizona had felt herself bounce on her feet as they stood in an empty OR and Callie let her get a feel for it. She looked around, the space familiar, comforting.

Callie looked at her and grinned.

"What?" Arizona asked, smiling.

"You look like kid at Christmas. Your eyes are practically shining."

"I've not been in an OR for weeks." Arizona paused and then suddenly looked shocked, "Oh, shit, more like a month."

Callie's eyes widened, "A month?! God, I'd be climbing the wall. What's stopped you?"

Arizona spun on her heel, pretending to take in the gleaming surfaces, the fluoroscope and the monitors, keeping her face from Callie, keeping her voice light, "Oh, just, the move took awhile." She spun back, arms crossed, smiling again, "But I can't wait to get my hands on a scalpel."

They started walking out, Callie holding the door open for her, "You start taking over a patient load tomorrow, right?"

Arizona nodded enthusiastically, letting Callie lead her down a hallway and following her in to an elevator again, "Yeah, Hunt emailed me my surgical roster. I scrub in on a hernia repair tomorrow morning, then an operation on a boy with short gut syndrome. In the afternoon I take emergent patients. I finish at five."

Callie raised her eyebrows, "Five? Scoring an early finish. Nice."

Arizona shrugged, a small smile on her lips, "I'm just lucky."

She tried to not look sideways at Callie, who she was fairly certain was looking at her like she was a puzzle to solve.

Callie showed her the cafeteria, and warned her that you didn't buy lunch Tuesday because it was always 'something surprise'.

"And seriously, the surprise I saw it give Mark's gastro tract was not fun."

Arizona wrinkled her nose, "Ew." She followed Callie up a flight of stairs, "Who's Mark?"

Callie's hand trailed over the banister, she was slightly breathless from the stairs as she held another door open for Arizona to walk through, Arizona missing the way her eyes trailed down as she walked past her, "Head of Plastics. An arrogant ass who _will_ try and hit on you when you meet him."

Arizona raised her eyebrows, "He sounds just delightful."

Callie laughed, "He's not, at first. He's also my best friend. And involved."

"Involved but will hit on me?" Arizona sounded confused.

"Yeah. He wants to know he can have every woman still, even though he only wants one woman. Lexie has him wrapped around her Little Grey finger."

"Wait. Grey? As in, _Grey?_" Arizona had stopped short. Callie turned to look at her.

"Um. Kind of?"

"How do you _kind of_ be in the Grey dynasty?"

Callie laughed, "Meredith Grey, one of our fifth year residents, is Ellis Grey's daughter. _Lexie_ Grey is Meredith's father's other daughter. They're half sisters."

Arizona's eyes widened, "Wow. They must be close, working at the same hospital."

Callie hesitated, "Ah-they are, now. They had never met before Lexie started four years ago."

"Wait-what?"

"Lexie wanted to meet her sister, so started here and Meredith took ages to warm up. Then Lexie's mom died in this hospital from a complication, and Meredith was involved in the case. Their Dad drank himself into liver failure and needed a new one, so Meredith donated hers and now they're kind of close."

Arizona blinked at her.

Callie buried her hands in her pockets and rocked on her heels, "Uh-yup. Oh, and Mark is Derek's best friend, head of neuro, and Derek is married to Meredith. Derek told Mark not to sleep with Lexie-Mark had an affair with Derek ex wife-and Mark did anyway, and there was this huge fight, but they're good now, too."

Arizona's mouth was kind of open, "Um. Am I living in a soap opera?"

Callie laughed, "Oh, honey, that was only the surface."

"Seriously?!"

Callie showed her the labs, the reasearch library and the various locker rooms.

She showed her the coffee cart on level two that served burnt, old coffee but the best pound cake.

"I love pound cake!"

And she showed her the coffee cart on level four that served the only decent coffee in a two mile radius, but had snacks that were rock hard and inedible.

"It's all about combining the positives." Callie explained.

Callie took her to the paeds wing and Arizona played meet and greet with the nurses and the doctors on the ward at the time. She wandered the floor with Callie, grinning at the bright pastel colours and starting to feel excitement clench in her gut.

She'd be back in the OR tomorrow. She would be assessing and diagnosing and fixing.

Her fingers twitched by her side and she could almost feel the gloves encasing them, the steel between them as she cut and tore and mended.

It was a feeling she lived for, and one that had left her the last month in the gloom of the last month. One that she felt coming back in full force.

As they were leaving the paeds section, they almost ran head first in to a surly looking guy in light blue scrubs and a lab coat. While he wore the same outfit as all the doctors, he still managed to look a little unkept.

"Hey, Karev. Meet Doctor Robbins, your new head of paeds." She looked from Alex to Arizona, "Arizona, this is Alex Karev, the one who ran off the last head of pediatrics."

Karev shrugged, looking Arizona up and down, "Stark was a douche."

Arizona nodded, "I heard about Starks idiocy from Hopkins, so I'm not surprised."

Alex almost smiled, "Doesn't surprise me that his reputation goes that far."

"Oh, it did," Arizona smiled pleasantly, "But, Karev, you pull shit in _my _paeds department, and I'll have you off my service so fast it'll make your head spin."

Alex paused for a moment while Callie grinned. Eventually, he shrugged, "Whatever." He started to brush past them, "I'll be here at seven for rounds."

"Make it six that you're here, Karev."

He paused again, then kept walking, "Six it is."

Arizona and Callie walked out of the paeds wing, Callie grinning all the while, "Okay, that just made my day a little bit. Do you even have to be here that early tomorrow?"

"Oh, God no." Arizona smiled, "I don't have to be in until eight."

Before Arizona knew it, she was on the cat walk and they were looking out the giant glass window, their elbows resting on the railing. Their shoulders were almost touching, not quite making contact.

"So, do I get to hear the story of that bruise?"

Arizona smiled, continuing to look forward even as she felt Callie's eyes on her face, feeling something in her stomach catch, "I told you that story was worth more than a tour."

"Oh, come on, that was a great tour."

Arizona tilted her head, finally turning to look at her, "That was an amazing tour. And, as promised, there was good coffee and you smelt delightful." Callie's grin widened, "But, still, it's worth more than that."

"Drinks, then." Callie kind of blurted it out, her own eyes widening to match Arizona's at the words, as if she surprised even herself.

"Ah-" Arizona should say no. There was no question of Callie's sexuality in her mind, there was obviously chemistry between them. But she should say no-Callie had no idea of what she'd be getting in to. Arizona had barely had time that morning to brush her teeth, and that was only the beginning. But then, it was just drinks. Casual. She crossed her arms and tilted her head, "Drinks would be great."

A look of relief flashed over Callie's face, "Will that earn me the story?"

Arizona was going to have to tell her sometime. She smiled, her tone playful, "If drinks with you is as amazing as I would imagine it would be, then yes. You'll get the story."

Callie's pager went off in her pocket, and she looked down, rolling her eyes, "I gotta run," she looked back up, grinning, "But, great. Friday night?"

She would have to speak with her parents. And wow, did that thought sound strange in her head at thirty one. "Friday night sounds good."

"I'll talk to you during the week about it. Maybe we could get some of the work guys out, give you a proper introduction?" Callie started backing away, smiling.

Arizona grinned after her, "Sounds perfect."

She watched Callie walk away, her eyebrows furrowed.

It did sound perfect.

A group, it was casual. Not as much expectation as a one on one catch up.

Arizona had a notion in her head, when Jayde left her and she took on this role with the kids, that women would be something she wouldn't think about for awhile. But Callie? She just couldn't _not _think about her. Even when she tried to say no, or tried to reign in the flirting, she couldn't do it. The last hour had been relaxed, chatty. Callie was so fun. In fact, she was the most simple, enjoyable thing occurring in her life at the moment. Lighthearted, easy.

She felt her phone go off.

Callie.

_PS I'm impressed you picked the perfume._

Even their texts were fun.

Arizona replied, a smile making its way to her lips.

_It's my favourite-it suits you._

She would have to tell Callie about the kids, about her brother. Eventually.

But it was so tempting not to. To keep this one, easy, fun thing that she could fall in to and have everything be okay and to not tell her.

Two kids made not telling that almost impossible.

And the kids, they deserve her one hundred percent attention. She shouldn't even be thinking of dating at this point. The kids were still so shaken up, and they would be for a long time. On that, so was Arizona.

Their entire world had been turned upside down and coming out of it, Arizona was the one stable thing in their lives.

Arizona sighed and pushed off from the bannister, heading to meet with Hunt and go over her schedules.

She felt her phone go off.

_I'll have to wear it Friday night, then._

Her smile could be seen across the room, she was sure.

####


	8. Chapter 8

**Title: **Changes  
**Author: **gabs88  
**Pairing: **Callie/Arizona  
**Summary: **When Arizona's brother dies in a car crash with his wife, she is named guardian of his two children. What does this mean for the life of someone who never wanted her own kids, let alone anyone elses?  
**Rating: **T  
**Disclaimer: **All characters belong to ABC/Shonda Rhimes.  
**Note: **Slightly overwhelmed-thanks, everyone :). Love reading all your thoughts. I'm really sorry about the delay in getting this up, it's been an incredibly busy work week! Hope the lengthyness makes up for it :)

**Chances  
Chapter Eight**

_You know, in all the excitement of the tour, I didn't ask-how is Ella and her broken arm? Did you know I actually thought she was your daughter? Teddy corrected me this afternoon haha :)_

So, Callie had thought Ella was her daughter.

And now she knew she wasn't.

It almost would have been better for her to keep assuming that, at least then she'd know Arizona came with some complications.

She didn't even know about the sixteen month old with the charming smile and killer ability to throw a tantrum. The only true tantrum had been the once so far, but obviously Arizona was still a little traumatised about the matter.

She was unwinding with a bottle of wine, and, she wouldn't lie, a cigarette (she'd said yes to a date that wasn't quite a date she didn't know if she should have said yes to at all-that allowed a cigarette in her mind), staring at the text from Callie at the end of her first day at work.

Her bum had started to go numb on the wood step, she'd been sitting there for two hours flicking her lighter before she succumbed to temptation. Toby and Ella were in bed, Toby still with remnants of glue in his hair that had _not_ come out. Ella had spent dinner debating if she should get an orange cast or a purple one.

And now, Arizona was sat with a text that held a perfect lead in to explain the catch to dating her, and she couldn't bring herself to do it.

She sent a reply after a long debate.

_Haha, that's a mistake often made-more so even with my nephew. Ella is in fine form, just deciding cast colour and rambling on and on about the Doctor she's excited to see Friday. I gloated that I spent this morning with you and made the seven year old jealous. _

Arizona put her phone down and took a long sip of wine.

She was kind of a coward.

But it wasn't a bombshell she wanted to drop through text. Or so she told herself.

Her first day had gone well, she'd done a few pre ops, met with families to go over consents for the surgeries the next day and ended up with even more paperwork in the afternoon. She was scrubbing in with Karev the next day and she was interested to see what he had to give. It was his name she heard whenever someone heard her specialty, not Starks, and that was something she found interesting. It had been her name spoken at Hopkins since her second year of residency.

Arizona had managed to see Teddy for lunch, and had made the mistake of mentioning that there may be drinks on Friday evening. Arizona now got the feeling, after seeing Teddy's eyes light up, that it was going to turn in to more than just four or five of them. So much for a casual get to know people. And there was a niggling feeling in the back of her mind that she really wanted it to be just her and Callie out for drinks.

Or you know, naked, and in bed.

But you couldn't say no to a grieving widow.

She felt her phone buzz and looked down.

_Your nephew must be incredibly cute then. You gloated to a seven year old? Seriously?_

Arizona laughed out loud.

_His smile is lethal, it's true. And yeah, I did. Judging me?_

The reply was instant.

_To be honest? I just like that I'm something worth being jealous over, even if she's only seven._

Arizona grabbed her packet and wine glass, dropping it off in the kitchen and tapping out a reply as she walked up to her room.

_Wait until she hears I'm spending Friday night with you :)_

Arizona had a quick shower and changed in to her pyjamas. As she was walking down the hallway, she paused outside her brothers room, towel to her still slightly damp hair.

She really needed to sort his room out.

She brought a hand up and rest it on the wood, her hand slowly sliding down it.

It had an en suite, and was adult size. She could sleep in there, clear everything out, box up their things. It made sense to do so; Arizona was living there now. Hell, the house was in the process of being put in her name. It was her house, technically.

But it wasn't.

It was her brothers house, and Sally's. Ella had almost been born on the stairs. They'd repainted every room-Sally's taste was splashed everywhere. The living room held a feature wall of an amazing deep blue, the ugly rug in the hallway had been Sally's great grandmothers. Her brother's Army papers were framed and hung on the stairway wall, along with the kids baby photos.

She was sleeping in the tiny spare room, but for now, she was happy to leave it that way.

"Mommy!"

The cry that floated down the hall way caused her gut to clench and her head whip around, damp hair flying around her face.

Ella.

She walked to her room, pushing the door open, heart pounding.

A whimper came from the bed and Arizona padded forward, squatting so she was next to it, hand hovering over the lump that was Ella. The little girl was curled in to a ball, eyes clamped shut. She was still asleep, unsettled.

She cried out for her mother even in her sleep.

Arizona rest her hand to her head, stroking her hair. Something stopped her from waking her niece, and instead, she just ran her hand over her head, staring at her, Arizona looking as lost as she felt. Ella's whimpers slowed, and Arizona didn't get up until they dissipated completely. Even after they'd stopped, she sat for five minutes, hand stilled on Ella's shoulder over the blanket. Her breathing was even, settled now. Her little face no longer scrunched up. She may not be as young as Toby, but here, with sleep over her, she was tiny.

Arizona leant forward and pressed her lips to Ella's forehead. She pulled back slowly and stood as quietly as she could, almost tiptoeing to the door. She stood for a moment, making sure she really was fast asleep, before pulling the door over slightly. She left the hall light on, checked Toby was still settled, and went to her room, turning off her light and slipping in to bed.

She felt her throat tighten and pressed her hand over her eyes for a moment, taking in a long, deep breath. Grief would just crash over in waves, at times. She would be okay, the kids would be okay, and then something as simple, yet really, complex, as Ella calling out for her Mom while asleep, left her stomach clenched. She just had to see her brothers bedroom door and she felt herself unravel slightly. Nights like tonight, where she climbed in to the bed in her brother's spare room, after checking on his kids, and it was starting to feel normal? That almost felt worse than when it had felt strange and uncomfortable.

Arizona reached across and picked up her phone from where she'd put in on charge. She needed a distraction.

_Well, I'd say bring Ella but I'd much rather have you to myself. Though I think there's going to be quite a few people there now. Maybe I could take you to dinner next week, if Friday goes well ;) ?_

Arizona felt a small smile cross her lips.

_If all goes well, consider me in._

Distraction achieved.

####

Arizona found she was loving her job at Seattle Grace Mercy West. She enjoyed the people she worked with. Her first surgery had her walking out with a bigger smile than she'd worn in a long time. It left her confident, wired. Karev and her worked well together and she found herself looking forward to working with him again. She'd scrubbed out and entered the elevator, delighted to see Callie standing, leaning against the back wall. She looked adorable in her scrub cap, grinning when she'd seen her.

"You look happy."

Arizona nodded, hitting the button for the floor she needed and stepped forward to lean her shoulder against the back wall, crossing her arms and facing Callie, "I just rocked surgery."

"I'm sorry I missed it. I'd love to see you in action."

Arizona tilted her head, "You will, I'm sure."

Callie's smile widened, and she leant forward slightly, her face inches from Arizona's, "At home or the hospital?"

She said it just as the doors opened and Arizona was left with with her mouth slightly open, face amused and unable to respond as Callie threw her a look and walked out. Arizona straightened up and Callie was unable to resist looking over her shoulder as the doors started to close, a laugh escaping her lips at the look on Arizona's face as she stared after her.

They had multiple run ins throughout the week, and come Friday morning Arizona was very much looking forward to drinks that evening, even if half the hospital was going to be there. Okay, she was exaggerating-she hoped-there was apparently just a group of the residents and attendings who had caught wind of a fun night out.

Even as she was looking forward to drinks, Arizona was feeling more and more uncertain. She had meant to try and mention the kids situation to Callie, but it wasn't exactly an easy conversation to just drop in. Especially when their conversations consisted of five minute flirts when they ran in to each other and fun text messages.

Arizona could barely think about her brothers death, or say his name, let alone just drop that kind of bomb on someone she was-doing whatever she was doing with. And each night when she sat down with the kids for dinner, and got them bathed and in to bed, Arizona felt a stab of guilt. She hardly had time for work and the two of them, let alone a girlfriend. She enjoyed her time with the kids, she found herself winding down after her day with them, rather than after they went to bed. The drive home with Toby, as he babbled in his car seat, now something she looked forward to. She even talked to him about her surgeries, telling them to him like a fairytale, enjoying his reactions in the rear view mirror. She liked that when she pulled up to her mothers house, Ella would be glued to the front window, the glass smudged with hand prints, waving at her fiercely. There were the odd few hours now where Ella would bloom, chatting in bursts like the little girl Arizona remembered from months before. Arizona revelled in it. When she put Toby down for the night, his weight warm and heavy in her lap as she read him a book, she almost felt settled. He'd reach his arm up as he leant heavily against her front, pacifier stubbornly in his mouth, fingers wrapping in to her hair.

How could she try and think about dating with those two needing her?

She walked in to the hospital Friday morning, Toby on her hip, Ella walking next to her holding her hand.

"I think I want orange."

Arizona nodded, "Orange is cool."

Ella had Toby's backpack on her back, her own schoolbag in the car. Her appointment was the first one up for the cast change, and Arizona would run her to school quickly after it then come back. Then she'd take Toby to Barbara's where the kids were going to have a sleepover and Arizona was going to go out for a night out. Her mother was thrilled with the plan. Arizona was getting worried her mom had started to think she was becoming a recluse, she had agreed that readily to take the kids for the night.

"But what if I want purple?"

Arizona led them down the hallway leading up to the daycare. She was thankful it was in a section of the hospital Callie would unlikely be at this time of the morning. She really needed to let her know before she found out by running in to her with a baby on her hip.

"What about green?"

Ella made a face, "Yuck. No. Peas are green."

Arizona nodded, "That's a good point."

They'd been having this conversation for three days now.

"Do you think I could get purple _and _orange?"

Arizona laughed, "That would be super awesome, but the type of cast you're getting won't let that happen."

"A fiverclass one?"

Arizona smiled, "Fibreglass. I think orange sounds cool."

"You keep saying that."

"That's because that's what I think."

"Ogen! Na, ogen!"

Arizona turned her head and blew a raspberry against Toby's cheek as they entered the daycare, "See, Ella? Even Toby thinks orange."

"He's a baby."

Arizona put Toby on the floor and he immediately ran to the tub of trains and cars, pulling them out. He brought two over, showing Ella, pressing them against her stomach to get her to look, "Twain, El. Twain!"

Ella nodded at him, looking over to the bucket, "Is that Thomas, Toby?"

Toby dropped the ones he was holding and ran to the bucket, picking up a Thomas one, bringing it over to show Ella, holding it up to her again. She took it from him and turned it over, "Cool, Toby! It's bigger than your one at home."

Arizona quickly signed Toby in and took is backpack to his cubbyhole. She walked back over and thankfully, Toby had sat down at one of the train tracks and was pushing Thomas along it, Ella sitting next to him and helping him. Another little boy sat next to Toby and Toby held his train out to show him, too.

Arizona quickly tapped Ella on the back, and put her finger to her lips. Ella stood up and they both made exaggerated sneaky movements, walking backwards on their tiptoes, Ella giggling, and waving goodbye to Tanya as they did so. Toby's eyes stayed glued to the train and his friend.

They walked hand in hand to the orthopaedic clinics, Ella swinging their hands between them.

"Will Doctor Callie be there?"

Arizona smiled down at her, "Yup. She's going down there just to change your cast. She said she couldn't wait to see you."

"I can't wait to see her. She was nice."

"She was, wasn't she?"

"Can she come over to play one time?"

Arizona almost choked on absolutely nothing. How she wished Callie could come over to play. And she didn't mean dolls.

"Doctor Callie is really busy, Ella Bella. But you'll get to see her when you get this new cast off."

"Really?"

"Yup. She told me that she'll take it off herself."

"Cool."

They walked in to the clinic and approached the receptionist. She ushered them straight through to a cast room and said told them the doctor wouldn't be long.

As she swept out, Ella sat on the edge of the examination room, swinging her legs, Arizona next to her, "Who's doctor Torres?"

Callie walked in just at that moment, three take away coffee cups in a carrier in hand, "That's me, Miss Ella."

Ella grinned at Callie, Arizona unable to stop herself smiling at her either, "Hi, Doctor Callie!"

"Hey there! There's those two matching grins again." She handed one of the cups to Arizona, and then one to Ella, "If it's okay with your Aunty Arizona, I got you a hot chocolate since the adults get coffee."

Ella's eyes widened and she looked up at Arizona pleadingly, "Please, Aunty Na?"

Arizona looked like she was considering it for a moment, "I don't know, it's barely quarter past eight in the morning!"

"You get coffee!"

"Kid has a point, Aunty Na."

Arizona looked up at Callie who was looking at her, incredibly amused, "You, shush. Of course you can have it, Ella."

"Thank you!" She reached forward and grabbed the cup, taking a long sip, "There's marshmallows!"

She looked like all her Christmas's had come at once.

Arizona laughed, "Thanks, Callie."

Callie looked at her, smiling, "No worries." Arizona watched her as she went in to work mode, "Now, Ella, let's save that hot chocolate and get this cast done, then you can have it as a reward."

Ella looked momentarily bummed, but handed the cup over to Arizona. Callie went about explaining what would happen to Ella, then to removing the old cast. Ella finally made a decision on an orange cast ("Because I like how Toby says ogen!"), and Callie was more than happy to oblige. She smiled the whole time, chatting to Ella about her school and friends. Ella looked infinitely jealous when Callie said she'd had a pony growing up. Even more so when she found out she'd actually had two.

Callie was putting the final touches on the cast, going over cast care, explaining that this cast set really quickly, more for Ella's benefit than for Arizona's, who obviously knew what to do already.

As she was finishing up, Ella stared at her intently, head tilted in a mirror image of Arizona's, and grinned, dimples popping, "You're really pretty, Doctor Callie."

Callie looked up from Ella's arm and smiled in a way that made Arizona's heart speed up, "So are you, Ella. You look a lot like your Aunty."

"Everybody says that."

"They do?"

Ella nodded, "Yup. Toby looks even more like her. It's weird."

Callie laughed, "Why is it weird?"

"'Cause he's a boy."

"He must be a very pretty boy, then."

Arizona felt her cheeks flush slightly as Callie said that to Ella, but looked at her the entire time.

Callie turned back to Ella, "Well! We're all done. No more bags on your arm in the bath."

Ella sighed in a very adult way and rolled her eyes, "Thank God!"

Callie tried not to laugh at the dramatic behaviour, "Now, you look after that arm and I'll see you in a month."

"So I'll see you and not someone scary?"

"I promise."

"Awesome."

Callie laughed, looking at Arizona as she handed Ella her hot chocolate, "She said that just like you do."

"She did not."

"Yeah, she really did."

Arizona rolled her eyes and put her hand to Ella's back, leading her out, the hot chocolate practically glued to her mouth, "I'll see you tonight, if I don't run in to you today."

Callie stood in the casting room, arms crossed, watching them walk out, "Can't wait, Arizona."

Arizona turned back and smiled at her.

"See you soon, Ella!"

Ella turned and waved with her newly orange arm, and yelled, "Bye! Thanks!" from around the cup.

Arizona got her back to school, glad that they would be dealing with the sugar high that had steadily started to hit Ella in the car. The day passed quickly, with an emergent appy she let Karev take point on and consults all afternoon. Before she knew it, she was dropping off Toby at Barbara's, her father hidden in his study, and waving goodbye to the kids. Ella was already asking to run a bath, wanting to try out her new, waterproof cast.

"Arizona!" She turned around to look at Barbara from the car.

"Yeah?"

Barbara smiled at her, "Have fun, okay?"

Arizona smiled back, "I will."

She drove home, having a quick shower and then standing in her room debating what to wear. Five outfits left spread out over her bed later, and she went with tight jeans, knee high boots and a low cut, dark blue shirt. She wrapped a scarf around her neck, added a leather jacket and some perfume, just in time for the cab to honk outside.

Slipping in to the taxi, she said where she was headed and quickly checked her phone.

Callie had text her.

_No fair, you get to go home and shower. I have to shower at work because surgery ran long._

Arizona grinned and replied.

_You'll still look great._

Sometimes, she figured, a simple sentence worked well. Her phone buzzed and she looked down, smothering a laugh as she read a text from Teddy.

_Got here early with lots of the surgeons. We found some shots. Welcome to Seattle Grace Mercy West!_

Her taxi pulled up and Arizona paid the fair and slid out, standing outside the bar, Joes, that sat across from the hospital. She took in a deep breath, trying to quell all her thoughts about what to tell Callie about the kids, and walked inside.

The heat and noise hit her, and she felt herself relax a little. She had only just walked in, and she already realised how much she had missed this. Jayde and her had used to go to bars a couple of nights a week, just for a quiet drink, and sometimes a not so quiet one. They'd been social, liking a wide circle of friends. They both had their own circles, too, and Arizona found herself almost excited to have a few drinks and unwind with people she'd have at least one thing to talk about with, given their jobs.

She made it up to the bar and ordered a wine, turning to look for Teddy as she took a sip of the drink. She saw her sitting in a far corner booth, several chairs pulled up to fit more people. Teddy saw her looking and she waved enthusiastically, wedged between Mark Sloan and Miranda Bailey. She'd worked with both of them during the week. Callie had been right, Mark had hit on her straight up. Bailey, she found herself genuinely liking. She was good with paed patients and incredibly talented. And she was blunt, something Arizona appreciated.

Arizona made her way over and sat in one of the chairs. Everyone made a loud noise at her arrival, waving. She smiled and raised her glass up in acknowledgement.

"You made it!" Teddy grinned across at her.

"Wouldn't have missed it." She took another sip of her wine, because judging from the look of everyone, she needed to catch up. She saw Lexie Grey, Meredith Grey, Derek Shepherd, Kepner, Jackson Avery and Karev squashed in.

"Where's Hunt?" Arizona asked.

"Caught up in some legal thing at the hospital." Mark shrugged, "Yang's on call over there, so they'll steadily be avoiding each other."

Arizona had heard through the grape vine that the couple were having disagreements over having kids or not. It almost amused her, that she had been a Yang not so long ago. She took another sip of her wine, and turned around to look behind her when she saw Teddy's eyes light up and wave again.

Arizona hand to physically stop herself from dropping her jaw. Callie had walked in, and was standing looking around for them. She saw them and waved, grinning at Arizona before walking to the bar. Arizona watched her every movement. She was wearing some kind of clingy, black dress that draped over every curve Callie had like it had been made just for her. It was cut low, low enough that Arizona was concerned she wouldn't be able to look anywhere else.

In that moment, she couldn't remember a single reason as to why dating Callie Torres was a bad a idea.

"Oi, do you need a napkin to get that drool?"

Arizona turned around to see Teddy, Mark and Bailey all staring at her, identical, drunken amused looks on their faces. Thankfully the others were all wrapped up in conversation.

"I have no idea what you mean."

Teddy sipped at her whisky, "Sure. Mark's in plastics, he'll be able to re-hinge your jaw into place later, so don't worry."

Bailey cackled and Mark looked far too delighted.

Arizona figured finishing her drink was probably the best fix for this situation. She felt Callie slide in to the seat next to her, a glass of white wine put down on the table in front of them, Callie holding her own red in her hand. She looked at Arizona, "You looked like you were almost empty."

Arizona put her empty down and reached forward, picking up the new glass, "Thanks."

Callie looked across the table finally, taking in Teddy, Mark and Bailey all staring at them with identical, shit eating grins on their faces as they leant on their hands.

"What?"

Mark grinned, "Nothin'."

Callie raised her eyebrows, "O-kay." She raised them further, "You can all stop staring now."

They all looked sideways at each other, then back to Callie and Arizona.

Callie and Arizona sat and awkwardly sipped at their wine, blinking back at the trio. The three finally got bored, Mark turning to Lexie, Teddy and Bailey talking about a surgery they were in on together.

Callie turned to Arizona, "Sorry about them."

Arizona smiled, "Don't be. They caught me staring at you as you came in." Arizona leant forward slightly, "I was wrong-you look better than great. Nice perfume, by the way."

Callie grinned, "I thought you'd like it."

Arizona widened her eyes, "But how? I was so subtle."

"About as subtle as your niece. Did she learn to tell women they look pretty from you?"

Arizona laughed, "No, she just learnt to tell the truth from me."

Callie sipped her wine, looking Arizona up and down before meeting her eyes, "You look good."

"Thanks." Arizona sipped her wine, trying not to flush.

They got pulled in to conversation with the others, Callie laughing with Derek, Arizona talking to Bailey and Teddy. Bailey was apparently more interested in paeds than she let on, having fallen in to a few cases the last year or two. Her and Teddy were talking about a cardiac case they had shared, talking it up to Arizona and almost bragging. Arizona spend her time nodding and adding in the odd comment, sipping wine and throwing Callie flirty looks, who returned them in kind.

She had no idea what it was about her, but since she'd almost run her over with a shopping cart, she'd been fixated.

An hour or so in, Arizona stood to get another drink, Teddy clambering over people's laps to join her. They stood at the bar, waiting to order, and Teddy swayed, grinning at her.

Arizona smiled, "What?"

Teddy shrugged, "Nothing."

Laughing, Arizona ordered their drinks, "Okay."

"It's just," Teddy leant forward as if to whisper, still talking at the same volume regardless, "You. And Callie. It makes me happy."

"Nothing's happened."

"Oh, please. It may not have _yet_."

Arizona paid, handing Teddy her whisky and picking up the two wine glasses, "It may not at all yet, Teddy."

Teddy had put her glass down and stopped dead in her mission to do up the buttons on her jacket, something she was failing at miserably, "What do you mean?"

Arizona gave a shrug, leaning against the bar, "She doesn't know about the kids, Teddy."

Teddy visibly relaxed and waved her hand, "So? Lots of people with kids date. You're allowed to date. Kids aren't a chastity belt." She paused, "Most of the time."

"Am I allowed to, though? The kids need attention. I barely have enough time with work, and-"

Teddy grabbed her by the shoulders, "Arizona. Shut up. Get laid. Have fun."

"Um-"

"No." Teddy shook her head, hands squeezing at her arms as she used them more to keep her balance than anything, "One of use needs to. I'm horny as hell, but I miss Henry. You're allowed to have a life. Your brother wouldn't have wanted you to suffer because of this. He'd want the kids happy, but he'd want you happy, too."

Arizona raised her eyebrows, "What about your happiness?"

Teddy shrugged, going back to her jacket, "One day. It's been six months, and he's still all I think about." She raised her hands up triumphantly when she got one button done up, then realised it was through the wrong hole, "Damn it."

Arizona watched her, smiling affectionately. She leant forward suddenly, giving her a quick hug before pulling back. Teddy gave up on the buttons and looked at her suspiciously, "What was that for?"

Arizona smiled, "Nothing. I just like that I met you. We can talk, almost openly. It's nice."

Maybe she'd had a few wines.

Teddy smiled at her, "Me too. You're a good find, even if you are a perky paeds surgeon."

Arizona laughed and picked up the wine glasses, leading the way over to their table. She sat next to Callie, who was loudly debating the uselessness of plastics with Mark, and slid her glass in front of her. Callie blinked at the glass then grinned, looking up at Arizona.

"Thanks."

"Anytime." Arizona slid in to her seat.

Callie stood back up, "Toilet break."

She turned and walked away, looking back over her shoulder to smile at Arizona, who once again got caught out watching.

"Seriously, follow her."

Arizona looked up, confused, at Teddy who had one eye half closed as she stared at her, having sat down on her other side.

"What?"

"Go, follow her. You've been eye fucking all night! Go do something about it."

Arizona felt indignant, "What? We have not!"

Bailey snorted in to her gin and tonic from across the table, "Oh, please, some of those looks made even me squirm in my seat."

Teddy laughed out loud as Arizona's mouth dropped open. She leant forward, arm sloppily sliding over Arizona's shoulders to whisper in her ear, "I don't know what's holding you back, but woman, go follow her."

Arizona looked at her, a little lost, "The kids."

Teddy shrugged, "Do something for you."

Arizona stared at her for a minute. Suddenly, Bailey sighed loudly, "Go or I'll make sure you're stuck with the dumbest interns I can find for the next four months."

"Mean. I'm new."

Bailey shrugged, "That means nothing to me."

Arizona nodded, stood up and walked quickly after Callie, headed towards the bathroom. Her hand rested against the handle for a second as she took in a deep breath, pushing it open as she exhaled.

Callie stood facing the mirror and she glanced up, grinning at her in the reflection as Arizona pushed the door closed behind her and leant back against it. Arizona smiled back at her. Callie turned, drying her hands on paper towel before throwing it in the bin. She leant back against the sink and crossed her arms, smiling.

"Hey."

Arizona tilted her head, "Hey." Her heart was pounding in her ears and she had no idea why. She swallowed, "I, uh, I think it's only fair, to tell you something. For the sake of being honest."

Callie only smiled softly, tilting her head at her.

"You don't know everything about me."

Callie gave a small laugh, "No one knows everything about a person-that's why you do things like go out to dinner, chat?"

Arizona returned the smile and pushed off the door, taking a few small steps forward, arms crossed, "That's true. But somethings, you should know beforehand. Like, if I was leaving the country in a month, I'd have to give you a heads up."

Callie looked slightly confused, "Uh, okay. Are you?"

"What? No. Not leaving the country." Arizona stepped forward again, she was only standing a foot away. "Just-there's some things, in my life. It's, uh, complicated." She smiled, looking Callie straight in the eye. Callie's arms dropped from being crossed over her own chest, and she rested her palms either side of herself on the basin.

"Everyone's complicated, Arizona."

Arizona nodded. She didn't know why this made her so nervous. She was terrified Callie would see it as all too much, and run. And she was terrified that that terrified her. She hardly knew her, really.

But she didn't feel right not telling her.

But Callie was so close to her, now. And what if she did blow it? What if in telling her, Callie ran? Arizona wouldn't blame her. Jayde had ran. Arizona may have, had the positions been reversed. Hell, she had wanted to and it was her niece and nephew.

Eyes locked on Callie's, her feet slid forward to close the gap between them. The scent of Callie's perfume surrounded her, her cheeks were flushed from the wine. She watched Callie's eyes dart to her mouth and back up again. Saw her bite at her bottom lip, a subtle gesture, but one that drew Arizona's attention to her mouth, anyway. If Callie was going to run, Arizona wanted something to remember her by. She leant forward, closing the gap completely, and pressed her lips to hers.

She had meant to keep it at that, a simple kiss. To pull back, make it chaste. But then Callie's hands came up to gently cup her cheeks and Arizona leant her body flush against hers, hands on her waist. She pressed her lips harder against Callie's, falling in to the sensation. Their lips parted and she felt Callie's tongue flick against her own and she almost groaned at the sensation.

She'd had a month of closing herself off, shutting down. She had tried, that entire time, to be what she needed to be for the kids. Whenever she had felt overwhelmed, she'd taken a breath and clamped on it.

As Callie's tongue slid against her own, Arizona felt herself become a little undone. Her fingers gripped at Callie's shirt, pulling them tighter together. Callie responded, hands slipping up to wrap in her hair. Their mouths moved slowly, sensual, neither in a rush. It was the most intense first kiss then either had ever experienced.

They parted, both slightly breathless, and Arizona leant her forehead against Callie's, hands still grasping her shirt.

"Wow." Callie's voice was low, husky. The sound of it made heat settle low in Arizona's stomach.

"Yeah." Her own voice sounded much the same.

Callie leant back, "Was that what you wanted to tell me? Because you can tell me that anytime you want to."

Arizona couldn't help but give a smile at the charming grin Callie threw at her. "No, that wasn't it. That just happened."

"Again, really, that can happen any time."

Arizona pulled away, missing the feel of Callie the second she did so. She stepped back, "I'd like that to happen any time."

Callie was looking intently at her again, head tilted, sensing her tone, "What is it"

Arizona stepped back again, nervous, creating space. Couldn't she just go back to kissing Callie? To keeping this as her fun escape?

"I come with a catch."

Callie grinned again, "You _are_ a catch."

Arizona actually gave a laugh, "And you're too smooth." She crossed her arms again, wishing the wine was making this easier. Callie's lips looked bruised, and she just wanted to lean forward and lose herself in her again. "You know Ella? And I've mentioned my nephew, Toby?"

Callie nodded, her look still playful.

_Like a band aid, Arizona._ "My brother, Tim, died a little over a month ago, with my sister-in-law, in a car accident. They named me the kids guardian. I-uh, they're kind of, mine."

Arizona watched the smile fade off Callie's lips. Watched her blink in surprise, saw her mouth drop partly open. Arizona hovered for a minute, and then, after a beat of silence, decided she couldn't take seeing Callie turn away, and instead, she did it for her.

Arizona turned on the spot and fled the bathroom.

She'd said his name. And it had hurt, caught at her gut and made her feel almost ill. And now, after an incredibly amazing kiss, she'd gone and scared Callie off.

She walked out quickly, swinging by the table to grab her jacket. Teddy looked up at her in surprise.

"How'd it go? Thought you'd be in there for ages. I've been fielding the door." She even attempted to give her a drunken wink.

"Um-fine. I gotta run. I'll see you later."

And she escaped, grateful that everyone was too drunk to really pay attention. The cool air hit her cheeks as she pulled on her jacket. She powered down the street with no real thought as to where she was going. Swallowing heavily, irritated at herself, she walked blindly.

She'd kissed Callie, blurted out something huge, then turned and ran. And now she was alone in the street, a little drunk, and, God, she wanted to talk to her brother about it all. Or to Sally. She wanted to call them, and have them pass the phone back and forth between them, alternating teasing her and offering advice. Tim would be calling her a coward right now. Sally would slap him on the head, steal the phone, laughing down the line and say, _"Not _coward,_ exactly, Arizona, more...cautious." _While Tim would be laughing.

She missed his laugh.

Arizona used to call them while she was cooking, and Sally would answer, both would drink a glass of wine while they caught up. Tim would eventually steal the phone, and the two of them would chat for ages, each others confidante, something that had never changed from when they were kids.

And right now? She missed that more than anything. Her throat was burning and she bit back tears. She wanted to talk to her brother. And she wanted to have a simple life, one in which when she met Callie, they'd fall in to bed together and never look back.

"Arizona!" She heard her name being called and spun, seeing Callie a few metres behind her. She pulled up in front of her, out of breath and face concerned, eyes searching Arizona's face.

"Why did you leave?"

Arizona wrapped her arms around herself, "Uh-I don't know." She really didn't. In hindsight, it was a little dramatic, "Your face, you looked-"

"Surprised? Shocked?" Callie stepped forward, hands coming up to rest on Arizona's shoulders, as if to hold her in place, "I was. That-that is just, horrible. For you. And for those kids. To lose your brother, and their dad." Callie tilted her head, "God-how have you been coping? All your lives have been turned completely upside down."

Arizona swallowed over a lump in her throat. She gave a half shrug, all she could manage.

"Why did you leave?"

Arizona didn't trust herself to speak. Callie was looking at her with wide, concerned eyes and the feeling in her throat was going to choke her. She leant forward, lips pressing to Callie's with force. She pulled back, eyes closed, afraid to open them and give herself away.

"Arizona, open your eyes." She did, and felt a tear slip past and on to her cheek, deceiving her. Callie's hand raised up to brush it away, her thumb gentle on her skin.

"I'm sorry."

"Why? Because you ran away, or for the tears? You're not allowed to apologise for tears."

"Um, for both." Callie's hands were resting against her neck, her own arms wrapped around Callie's waist, "I, uh, I thought it might be too much. The kids, all this baggage. My brother." Her voice hitched slightly over the last word, and she took in a deep breath, letting it out slowly.

Callie smiled softly, "You're an idiot."

Arizona gave a laugh, which came out almost like a sob, "Can you blame me?" Arizona looked down, "Did I mention my girlfriend left because of the kids?"

Callie's eyes widened, "Well, she's an idiot. Can't say I'm sad though. That means you're definitely single."

"I don't kiss girls in bathrooms unless I'm single."

Callie gave a slight smile, "Good to know."

Arizona drew in a shuddering breath and Callie pulled her forward. Her head fell in to her neck, Callie's arms wrapping around her. She felt the sob force its way out her chest, the tears coming hard and fast, now they were allowed to, soaking Callie's jacket under her cheek.

"I'm sorry." She rasped the words against her skin, hands clinging to Callie's jacket.

Callie's hands came up in to her hair, pulling her tighter against her.

"I'm not."

####


	9. Chapter 9

**Title: **Changes  
**Author: **gabs88  
**Pairing: **Callie/Arizona  
**Summary: **When Arizona's brother dies in a car crash with his wife, she is named guardian of his two children. What does this mean for the life of someone who never wanted her own kids, let alone anyone elses?  
**Rating: **T  
**Disclaimer: **All characters belong to ABC/Shonda Rhimes.  
**Note: **Thank you so much for the reviews guys, they're a pleasure to read :) Excuse all errors, I'm tired ;)

**Changes  
Chapter Nine**

Arizona Robbins didn't like to lose control. She was a type A personality-you could ask anyone who had known her for more than a couple of hours and they could tell you that. She grew up with a father who favoured discipline and a firm word and a mother who was loving, but who was always bowing to her father.

She was a good man in a storm. She liked to be the one who rescued people, who fixed things and held it together while everything crumbled. It was what she knew how to do. She had held Ella, and Toby, as their little worlds flipped. She had held her mother while she sobbed and asked questions Arizona just didn't have the answers to. She had nodded to her Dad stoically, chin up and lips pursed, instead of breaking in to pieces and falling in a heap.

She did not like to need someone.

But Callie's arms felt incredible around her, and letting go enough to cry felt like bursting out of the water and getting air for the first time in far too long. She didn't know how long they stood on the sidewalk for, just that eventually Callie had murmured something to her and they had started walking down the street. Callie had her arm firmly around Arizona, and Arizona leant her head on her shoulder and the tears just kept falling, even after the sobs had settled.

She'd opened a flood gate.

They walked for only minutes before Arizona felt herself being directed to a building across from the hospital. She lifted her head and looked at Callie with a questioning expression on her face.

Callie almost looked sheepish, "Yeah, I live right across from work."

They made their way inside and up the elevator before reaching Callie's floor. It looked like there were only two apartments there, and Callie led them to the one on the right, fluidly opening the door and ushering them inside.

Arizona stood and looked around the room while Callie took their jackets and dropped them over the couch. Callie turned on the spot and gave Arizona a bemused look.

"Tears on your cheek, yet you're smirking?"

Arizona shrugged, looking around, "Nice place."

"Nice place, but...?"

Arizona felt the smirk strengthen, cheeks still wet, "You live in a bat cave."

Callie looked insulted, "A bat cave?"

"It's...kind of dark. And frowny."

Callie sat on the back of the couch, crossing her arms, "Well, it's my frowny place. I like it."

Arizona finally caught her eye, "Did I say frowny? I meant, modern, edgy."

Callie raised an eyebrow playfully, "Mhm."

Arizona swallowed heavily, still wanting to be playful but emotions still just below the surface, and felt fresh tears spill down her cheek. Callie stood up, expression changing to one of concern. The second she stood Arizona shook her head, stepping back and crossing her arms across her chest defensively.

"Arizona." Callie's voice was almost a whisper.

"I-I'm sorry." Her voice was hoarse.

"Please, stop saying that."

Callie took a step forward, and this time, Arizona didn't match it with one back. Callie closed the gap and Arizona buried her head into her neck as she felt Callie's arms wrap around her. She fisted Callie's jacket, hands pinned between them.

"I can't s-stop, now I've started. I don't even feel like crying, now. It just wont stop."

Callie turned her head, pressing a kiss to Arizona's ear, "Is this the first time you've cried?"

Arizona nodded against her neck.

Callie's grip tightened, holding her tighter against her, "Then you're definitely banned from the sorry word." They stood for a moment, Arizona half amazed and half appalled at how many tears she seemed to have built up, "Now. Do you want to keep hugging it out, or would you like to sit and stare at a movie? Or sit and talk and I can ignore the tears? Or-whatever you want to do?"

Arizona pulled back slightly, forehead pressing against Callie's shoulder. She drew in a shuddering breath, "Sit and talk, and ignore the tears."

Callie nodded, "Okay. Wine? I know we've had a few, but wine fits most situations?"

Arizona pulled back, Callie's eyes staring in to her own. She was smiling softly at her, "Wine, yes."

"Right, you, sit." Callie pulled back and pushed her towards the couch. Arizona walked over, unwinding her scarf and dropping it on top of her jacket. She sat, pulling a leg up under her and watching Callie in the kitchen. Wiping her cheeks, she took in another quiet, shuddering breath. She didn't know what was wrong with her. She watched Callie maneuver, pulling out a bottle of red and two glasses. She held the red up, "Do you drink red at all? I don't have any white."

Arizona nodded, giving a soft, watery smile, "I do."

Callie nodded and walked over, pouring them both a glass and handing Arizona one. She sat next to her, mimicking Arizona's pose as she turned side on to face her, a leg pulled up under her. They both took a sip of wine. Callie leant her elbow on the back of the couch and rest her head in her hand, looking imploringly at Arizona, "How have you not cried?"

Arizona took another sip, shrugging slightly and trying to ignore how her eyes still watered, "I don't know. I had to-my mom, she needed me. And then the kids. And then Jayde. And then I, it was like I'd stopped it so much that I couldn't, even if I felt like I wanted to."

Callie nodded, shifting forward ever so slightly so that their knees touched. She put her wine down on the coffee table and rest her hand on Arizona's knee, "Were you close? With your brother?"

Arizona closed her eyes for a moment as if bracing herself. She nodded as she opened them slowly, "We were. Very."

Callie's eyebrows furrowed, her expression causing Arizona's tears to spill over once more. However, still, it happened without sobs, without the catching of breath. Callie didn't move forward to comfort her, knowing Arizona had specified they talk and ignore it, "Were you always close? Because me and my sister, Aria, fought constantly as kids. It wasn't until we were out of high school that we started to get along."

A small smile appeared on Arizona's face, "You have a sister?"

Callie nodded, "Yeah, one. She's younger than me, a little spoilt. She's a good person though, beneath it all."

"I can't imagine her being related to you and not being."

"I could be a horrible person."

Arizona laughed, the noise such a contrast to her red rimmed eyes and tear tracks, "We may not know each other very well, but I know you're not a horrible person, Callie."

Callie smiled, "So you grew up close? I don't know if there's a lot of brothers and sisters that can say they did that and stayed that way."

Arizona shrugged, "Tim and I," she just wanted his name to not make her stomach ache to say, "We were army brats, and eventually we stopped trying to make friends in new towns. We got along well, there was barely a year between us. We were kind of inseparable."

"Who was older?"

"He was. Though people used to assume we were twins."

Callie's hand traced patterns on her knee, her eyes on Arizona's face as they talked. Arizona relaxed sideways in to the couch, glass of wine balanced on her thigh.

"Did he like being big brother?"

Arizona nodded, smiling slightly even with the tears, "He did, I think. Even though we were close in age, he was protective. He punched a guy when I was sixteen for calling me a dyke."

Callie's eyes widened, "Some guy did that?"

Arizona nodded, "Yeah. Tim heard him, grabbed his shoulder and spun him around and clocked him in the chin."

Callie almost laughed, "I shouldn't condone violence, but that's awesome."

Arizona smiled, "Yeah, it was. Later, I told him I was one. He got this huge smile on his face, and said that didn't mean that dickhead could insult me."

"He sounds awesome."

"He really was."

"Were you close to his wife?"

Arizona nodded, "Yeah. Sally and I got along like a house on fire. I met her when I was twenty one, we bonded over a mutual love of white wine and torturing Tim." Arizona smiled softly, "They were so in love, those two. There was no, hesitancy? No ifs, or maybes. They were just so solid."

"That's really nice."

"It was. Tim got drunk one night and called me after their third date to tell me he was going to marry her."

"Third date? That's the sex date."

Arizona laughed, "I'm fairly certain their first was the sex date."

"Go Tim." Callie sounded genuinely impressed, "Sounds like the Robbins' have a way with the ladies."

Arizona laughed again, the sound less like a choking noise and almost bordering on genuine, "I don't know about that. But he was certain about Sally. Even while he was deployed, they were fine."

"He was in the army?"

Arizona nodded, "Yeah. Over in Iraq. When Sally fell pregnant with Toby, he moved in to administration. There was a near miss with his convoy, he was lucky-he told me once that he didn't," Arizona paused and looked down at her wine, "he didn't want to leave his kids without their dad."

Callie leant forward, fingers tightening on Arizona's knee again.

Arizona continued to look down at her wine, "I wonder so may things, Callie. If he had stayed in Iraq, would they both be okay? If they had taken his stupid SUV instead of Sally's tiny work car, would they have survived?"

Callie nodded, "It's normal to do that. But being in the job you are, you know there's no point wondering."

Arizona nodded, finally looking up from her wine, eyes swimming again, "I know. But I can't help it. He was so brave, in Iraq. Tim survived a war, and then a drunk asshole wiped two of the most amazing people off the Earth, and left two kids orphans."

Callie didn't know what to say to that. She hesitated a moment, "Life's shit. And unfair, sometimes."

"It is."

"Those two kids, though? They're lucky, they have you. It's a shit situation, it's fucked, even. But they have you."

Arizona swallowed heavily, eyes dropping again, "Yeah." She sounded unconvinced, uncertain.

"What is it?"

Arizona pulled back a little, closing in on her self slightly as she cradled her wine glass, "This is a crap first date."

Callie looked affronted, "This is _not _a date. My kind of date will knock your socks off and have you throwing yourself at me."

Arizona manage a smile, "I believe that. Well, this is a crap first proper conversation."

Callie squeezed her knee, "Shut up, Arizona. There's nothing crap about this. I've been wanting to get to know you since you tried to kill me with a shopping cart."

"Well, I'm learning you're an exaggerater. Almost killed you? Please."

Callie laughed, "Close enough. Now, don't avoid it. What was that, a minute ago? Those kids are so lucky you're in their lives."

Arizona ran her fingertip around the rim of her glass. Callie seemed determined, to talk to her. To get her to open up. They barely knew each other, yet here she was.

"I didn't want to do it." Saying it out loud made the guilt swell up fiercely in her stomach, "I never wanted kids. Let alone someone elses." Arizona bit her lip, shame making her avoid eye contact.

"So?"

Arizona's head whipped up, "What do you mean, so? I didn't want to do it. I liked my life the way it was. Those kids deserve someone who wants them, they deserve parents."

"Arizona, so what if you didn't want to do it? You still did it. You dropped your entire life, sacrificed your girlfriend, to move cities and look after your brothers kids. So what if you didn't want kids? Or you wanted to say no, at first? Look at what you're doing, now. I just have to watch Ella for a minute to see she dotes on you."

Arizona cocked her head slightly, looking at Callie intently, "Sometimes I want to run. Sometimes I'm lying there, in bed after putting on mountains of washing of tiny human clothing, after running around after dinner and bath time and I feel like I'm going to explode."

"That would be the lack of sex."

Arizona choked as she sipped her wine, a laugh escaping her lips, "Excuse me?"

"The need to explode? There's things you can do about that."

Arizona was almost grinning, "Way to ruin a serious moment."

Callie was smiling, "Look, of course you feel like that. You're grieving, you're in a new city, you've been dumped and you've gained two kids. You're allowed to have some feelings about that. You can be angry and resentful and hate it if you need to."

Arizona swallowed heavily again, Callie getting the feelings that welled up sometimes spot on.

Callie leant forward, fingers tucked under Arizona's chin as she tugged her head up to look her in the eyes, "You can feel all that. It's allowed. But it's in your actions that matter, and those kids? You love them, and you're there for them. Even though it wasn't what you wanted."

Their eyes searched each others for a moment, before Arizona leant forward, slowly. Eyes fluttered closed at the last minute as she pressed hre lips to Callie's, once. She pulled back slightly, breath mingling between them, "You're some kind of amazing, Callie Torres, you know that?"

Callie rolled her eyes, "Like you've implied, you barely know me."

"I'd like to."

Callie couldn't stop the smile that took over her lips, "You would?"

Arizona nodded once, "I would."

Callie took hold of Arizona's wine glass, leaning to place it on the coffee table. Hand raising up, she slid it behind Arizona's neck, the other back on her knee. Pulling her forward gently, she kissed her. Their lips parted, Callie's tongue traced her lower lip, the taste of wine and tears on her taste buds. She sucked gently on the sensitive flesh before letting it go, Arizona's tongue flicking against her own.

Arizona pushed forward, Callie leaning back and Arizona following, the kiss never breaking. Callie lay back on the couch, Arizona between her legs, arms braced either side of her. What started gentle quickly turned intense. Their constant flirting and teasing culminating, Arizona's over boiled emotions raw, lips pressing harder, tongues and teeth colliding. Arizona adjusted, shifting her leg so her thigh rested between Callie's and Callie's slid between her own. She dropped her weight slightly, one hand bracing her, the other raising up to bury in Callie's hair. Her fingers wrapped in her curls, tugging gently, and a groan escaped Callie at the sensation.

The sound made heat settle low in Arizona's stomach. Callie felt better than she could even imagined, the feel of her lips over her own, the way her hips moved under her, her thigh pressing up and against her. Arizona wanted to fall in to this feeling. She wanted to drown in it, to drown in Callie. Her life had been a giant mess for over four weeks, but here, with Callie against her, the feeling of her moving under her, Arizona felt okay. More than okay, she felt like she could breathe, like she could escape. She'd been afraid that in telling Callie, she'd lose her, she'd lose the one thing that was easy, fun. Instead, she'd found someone who listened, sho was interested.

Someone, who, when her lips grazed her neck just _there_, caused the most amazing shudder to course through Arizona's body.

She'd never experienced something as instant as this.

Callie's hand ran down her back, fingers trailing on the skin where her shirt had ridden up from her jeans. Her nails bit in to the skin and Arizona groaned, hips rolling, her hand dropping from Callie's hair and running down her ribs to her hip, fingers grasping at the material of her dress, bunched up as it was. She lifted her hand, pulling it up further, fingers hitting the soft bare skin of Callie's thigh. Her fingers slid past the material of her skirt, Callie's skin hot against her hand.

Arizona's lips trailed over Callie's jaw and down her neck, tongue against the skin. Callie's head fell back against the arm of the couch, her hips rolling, thigh pressing in to Arizona in a way that was driving her mad.

"Arizona." Her voice was low, husky, like it had been in the bathroom earlier and Arizona felt Callie's nails slide from the skin of her back to bite in to her jeans, her other hand raising goosebumps to the back of Arizona's neck. Her lips touched her collarbone, rhythm building with their hips, "Arizona?"

"Mm?" The combination of wine and Callie was making her head foggy.

"Bed?"

Arizona paused, smiling against Callie's skin, "Is that a good idea?" She didn't remove her hand, her lips pressing against her skin again.

"Right now?" Callie's fingertips dug in to her neck as Arizona's lips pressed back against her neck, "Yes? Yes, it's definitely a good idea."

Arizona pulled back slightly, raising her head up to press her lips to Callie's, slowly pulling back. She smiled softly, "Okay."

She stood up, holding a hand out to Callie, taking in the image of her lips, red and bruised, face flushed. She really was stunning. Callie took her hand, and she tugged her up, turning to walk away from the couch and lead Callie before pausing and turning back.

She smiled sheepishly at Callie's raised eyebrow, "I was going to be all smooth and lead you to the bedroom, but I don't know where it is."

Callie laughed, pushing forward and wrapping her arms around Arizona, stepping them backwards, kissing her neck, "Well, this is the living room." They stumbled backwards, Callie leading their joined steps, both laughing, "This is the hallway." Arizona gave a loud giggle, as they half tripped, falling through a door way, "And this," they straightened up, Callie pushing Arizona's hair off her face, smiling, "is the bedroom."

Arizona didn't take her eyes off Callie, "It's nice."

Callie grinned, "I like it."

Arizona leant forward, kissing Callie again, pushing backwards until the back of Callie's knees hit the bed. Callie sank down, sitting on the edge of the bed, pulling Arizona down with her. Arizona's legs slid either side of Callie's hips, straddling her, Callie's hands dropping instantly to rest on Arizona's waist. Her tongue slid in her mouth, and Callie's finger tips gripped her waist.

"Before,"Arizona said between kisses, "You said 'right now' it seems like a good idea." Her foggy brain was telling her something.

Callie pulled back, "Yeah?"

"Maybe that's the wine and the making out talking?"

Callie laughed softly, "Maybe."

"Something tells me we should stop, or we won't stop."

"Something tells me I wouldn't hate that idea."

Arizona pushed a tendril of hair behind Callie's ear, "I think hating it would be far from my feelings on the matter."

Smiling, Callie leant forward, kissing Arizona's neck, "But we should stop, anyway?" Her lips trailed down, slow and teasing.

Arizona's eyes fluttered closed, head tilted up to allow Callie more access, "You've made me feel, amazing. But I-I'm worried, I'm all, um, fragile. I may end up in tears. And that wouldn't exactly be hot."

Callie straightened up, "You're always hot." She raised her hands up, cupping Arizona's cheeks, "But I understand."

"I don't want to sleep with you, because I'm sad and burying feelings." Arizona's eyes widened, "Not that that would be the only reason, it's just, that's kind of my MO, and-"

Callie's laugh interrupted her, "Arizona. I get it. It's okay. You still look on the verge of tears-I understand." Callie pulled her down and kissed her, softly, "Really."

Arizona smiled, "Thankyou."

"What for?"

"You've been awesome, tonight."

"You don't need to thank me."

"Still." Arizona's voice was soft, "Thank you."

"Okay, you're welcome. Now," Callie dropped her hands to the tops of Arizona's thighs, then flopped backwards on the bed, looking up at her, "What are we going to do? I'm not sending you home when you're fragile. We're being good, even after making it to the bed. Which in my eyes, deserves a medal." Arizona laughed again, linking her hands with Callie's on top of her thighs, "You can stay here? We'll both behave."

Arizona hesitated.

"You don't have to stay, of course. I just-I'm guessing the kids aren't at your place?"

Arizona shook her head, "They're with my parents, tonight. I'm picking them up at nine am."

Callie made a face at the time, "That's early for a day off. Okay, so your place is empty? I just thought you might prefer to stay here. But it's totally okay if you don't want to?"

Arizona bit her bottom lip. If she was honest with herself she didn't want to go home right at that moment. But she wasn't so sure she should stay, either. "Maybe we could watch a movie?"

Callie smiled up at her, "Sounds great."

They stood up, Callie taking her hand and leading the way back to the couch.

"Now, what to watch?"

"All I've watched the last few weeks are kids movies. Have you got anything incredibly dramatic, or scary. Something completely inappropriate for children?"

Callie thought for a second, walking over to the DVD rack next to her television. She scanned the titles, "Okay, we have a couple of choices." Arizona watched as she bent over, perving more than paying attention, a small smile on her lips, "Shawshank Redemption, the Scream movies, There's Something About Mary-um, Mark has all my damn DVD's at the moment-I have True Blood?"

Callie turned around, DVD's in hand, and caught Arizona out with the pervy smile on her face. Callie raised her eyebrows at her, "I thought we were behaving?"

"I can look. I've spent the last week at the hospital doing it, it's a habit. It's not my fault-stop being hot."

Callie laughed, "You weren't subtle at work, either." Arizona just shrugged unapologetically, "Any of those DVD's sound okay?"

Arizona looked little blank. She really hadn't been paying attention, "Um-maybe?"

Callie rolled her eyes, "Have you watched True Blood?" Arizona shook her head and Callie looked shocked, "Well, it's definitely in the category of not appropriate for kids. You're not-wait," She went red, looking amused at herself, "Never mind."

Arizona looked confused, bemused at the expression on Callie's face as she went about loading the DVD and walking over to the couch, "Not what?"

Callie looked ready to laugh, "Nothing."

Arizona just raised her eyebrows at her.

"I was about to ask if blood makes you squeamish. Then remembered you're a surgeon."

Arizona cracked up.

"Yeah, yeah. That's why I stopped asking. Watch the DVD, you."

Still snickering, Arizona lay down, tugging at Callie's hand, pulling her behind her, Callie's arm slipping around her middle. Callie propped her head up on her hand so she could see past Arizona. She leant forward as the opening scene aired, pressing her lips to Arizona's shoulder. Arizona turned slightly, looking up at Callie. Callie looked down at her, a small smile on her lips.

"What?"

Arizona half shrugged, turning more, "We can still make out, right?"

Callie grinned, leaning down, lips hovering over Arizona's.

"Definitely."

####


	10. Chapter 10

**Title: **Changes  
**Author: **gabs88  
**Pairing: **Callie/Arizona  
**Summary: **When Arizona's brother dies in a car crash with his wife, she is named guardian of his two children. What does this mean for the life of someone who never wanted her own kids, let alone anyone elses?  
**Rating: **T  
**Disclaimer: **All characters belong to ABC/Shonda Rhimes.  
**Note: **Why must life get in the way of writing!? I'd love to be doing this full time. Add in some writers block to lack of time, and you've got a big gap between updates. Sorry! Thanks again for all the feedback :), you're all awesome and amazing. Love reading all your thoughts :)

**Changes  
Chapter Ten**

Waking up after eight hours sleep on a couch would generally be considered an uncomfortable experience. Your neck would be aching, there could possibly be drool, and a leg would be slid off the side, slowly pulling you over the edge so the reason you woke could probably be put down to thumping on to the ground in an unflattering mess.

Arizona woke up and had apparently rolled in her sleep so her and Callie's fronts were pressed together, legs tangled and her face pressed against the softness of Callie's shoulder. The morning tumbled over her, light invading her senses and the sounds of the traffic outside slowly making sense. Callie had gotten them a pillow at some point before they'd fallen asleep and Arizona couldn't remember the last time she'd felt this comfortable. She tilted her head slightly and pressed her lips to Callie's neck softly, feeling an arm tighten around her waist and Callie's throat hum as sighed softly. She pressed closer and wrapped her arm tighter around Callie's hip. Not normally one to have an emotional outburst, or candid conversation, like last nights, Arizona found herself much calmer than she would have thought she'd be.

Callie seemed to do that to her.

They'd not seen a single part of True Blood, several episodes playing as the acted like teenagers and made out, chatting in between and talking about college and more relaxed topics. They'd apparently fallen asleep part way through it all.

"Morning." Callie's voice was thick with sleep.

Arizona smiled against her neck, "Morning."

"We slept on the couch."

Half asleep Callie was adorable. She sounded confused, Arizona could feel her head shifting slightly as she looked around like she didn't know where she was.

"We did. It was surprisingly comfy."

"You're comfy." Arizona chuckled at the reply, kissing Callie's neck again. Callie's head dropped back to the pillow, relaxing as she sighed, "And you feel good."

Arizona suddenly sat straight up, looking down at Callie with wide eyes, "Shit! What's the time?"

Callie was looking disgruntled at the loss of warmth, hair a mess around her head. She lifted her arm from where it had fallen to Arizona's thigh, raising her wrist to hover over her face. She squinted for a moment, "Um..."

Smirking and rolling her eyes, Arizona grabbed Callie's wrist and turned it gently so she could look at her watch, Callie dropping her head happily back to the pillow and flopped her other arm theatrically over her eyes to block out the light. Arizona breathed a sigh of relief, "Good, it's only seven thirty."

"Seven thirty!?" Callie lifted her arm slightly to glare at Arizona, "That's way too early. It's a day off."

Arizona raised her eyebrows, her expression amused, "You really aren't a morning person, are you?"

Callie let her arm drop down back over her eyes, "What gave me away?"

Arizona snorted and went to stand up but laughed as Callie wrapped her fingers around her wrist and yanked her back down to lay next to her. She didn't fight it, but rather wriggled backwards so Callie was pressed tighter against her back, "Gee, I don't know. How do you manage being on call?"

She felt Callie shrug behind her, her face burying in to her hair, "The promise of a cool surgery," she thought for a minute, "and coffee?"

"Coffee sounds amazing right now."

"Oh, thank God. You like coffee-I dated someone who didn't, years and years ago."

"What kind of person doesn't like coffee?"

"Abnormal ones. How do they function?"

"Probably well, without an addiction that leads to a blinding headache by eleven if you don't get caffeine."

Arizona felt Callie laugh behind her, the hand around her middle sliding under her shirt to splay over her stomach, "Yours doesn't kick in until eleven? Lucky."

"Yours?"

"Ten minutes after I wake up."

"Oh, dear God. I have about five minutes to get caffeine in to you." Arizona made as if to get up and laughed as Callie's arm held her in place, "Coffee, Callie."

"Yeah, but you're comfy." It was almost a whine.

"Caffeine."

The arm loosened, "Fine."

Arizona stood, tugging her shirt back in to place and watched Callie roll on to her stomach and bury her face in the pillow. She raised her eyebrows, "I'd love to be all chivalrous, but much like last night where I tried to take you to the bedroom, I don't know where everything is."

Callie nodded in to the pillow.

Arizona stared at her, eyebrows still raised and head cocked.

"You're staring at me, aren't you?"

"Mhm."

Callie rolled back on to her side, smiling despite the attempt to be grumpy, "You're lucky you're cute."

"I've been told that before." Arizona grinned and walked off in to the kitchen.

"And you have a cute ass." Callie sat up on the edge of the couch.

Arizona laughed from the kitchen, "I caught you staring enough at it at work."

"Good to hear I was about as subtle as you."

"What was that?"

"Coffee's in the cabinet under the toaster!"

They moved around each other in the kitchen, not quite fluidly, but comfortably. Mumbled sentences sounded, Callie giggling sleepily as Arizona pressed her against the kitchen bench, kissing her languidly as the kettle boiled.

Arizona sat on the same bench, sipping her coffee, Callie standing between her legs, drinking her own. Her free hand clung to Callie's shirt, maintaining a grip while they drank, contented silence now surrounding them.

Callie rest her coffee on the bench next to Arizona, leaning forward to press her face against her neck, Arizona's free hand coming up to hang loosely around her shoulders, holding her against her.

"Do you really have to be there by nine?"

Callie's breath against her neck sent a shudder down Arizona's spine, "Yeah. I promised the kids. We're going to the zoo today."

"I could come?" Arizona froze slightly, saved from answering as Callie finished with a, "Crap, never mind-I promised Mark I'd help him out with a research thing today."

Arizona sipped her coffee, Callie still pressed against her front, and pulled her in closer by locking her ankles together.

"I may need to be at my place by about eight thirty? To get to my mums by nine?"

Callie pressed her lips against Arizona's neck, pressing them down to her collarbone. The caffeine was hitting her system, and she seemed to be loving the feel of Arizona, "That means having to leave here pretty soon, yeah?"

Arizona nodded, hand wrapping in Callie's hair, mug half dropped to the bench as her other hand joined it, "Unfortunately, yes."

Callie's hands moved to the tops of her thighs, kneading them as her lips moved slowly to the other side of Arizona's neck, "What if I dropped you at your mums at nine, instead?"

Arizona froze again, minutely and missed by Callie, "Uh-" her head fell back slightly as Callie's tongue pressed to her skin, "I need my car, with the car seat, to get them."

"Damn." Callie's voice was a whisper against her ear as her teeth grazed her ear lobe. She pulled back, smiling slightly, "Well, I have a new toothbrush, still in the packet? Shall we shower and stuff here, then I can drop you at your place?"

Arizona grinned widely.

Callie raised her eyebrows at her, "Shower separately, pervert. We're on a time restriction."

Arizona shrugged unashamed, "You're the one who put the idea in my head."

Callie laughed, leaning forward to press her lips to Arizona's neck again, "Well, it's a pretty nice image."

They showered-seperately-Callie making them both a second coffee in travel mugs while waiting for Arizona to finish, both their heads slightly sore from the wine the previous evening. They were putting on their jackets at the door, Arizona pulling her arm through her sleeve and taking the proffered cup from Callie, when Arizona paused and smiled at her.

Callie raised an eyebrow, "What?"

Arizona leant forward, pressing her lips to Callie's in a chaste, sweet kiss, "You're awesome."

"I am?" Callie was smiling almost stupidly.

Arizona nodded, "You are. Thank you."

"No more thankyous. Or sorrys. Those be the rules."

Arizona smiled as she walked out the door Callie held open, "Rules?"

"Oh, I'm bossy."

They walked side by side down the hallway, Arizona smiling sideways at Callie, "That could be fun."

Callie smirked, pressing the button for the elevator, eyes widening as it opened immediately and she saw who was standing there, "Shit."

Mark Sloan stood, looking back and forth from each woman with a giant grin on his face, "Morning, ladies."

Callie narrowed her eyes at him, "Morning, Mark."

Arizona smiled politely, "Morning."

They all stood, Mark still smiling lecherously, Callie trying to control her glare and Arizona looking bemused.

"You going to exit the elevator?" Callie gave him a look that clearly said it wasn't a question.

"Me? Oh, sure." He sidled out, stepping to the side and holding an arm out to keep the doors open and let the girls walk through.

Arizona and Callie stood next to each other, still watching Mark grin at them. Callie started to look relieved that he was behaving himself as the doors started to shut.

"Oh!" Mark stood, framed by the doors as they slid slowly closed, "Isn't that what you were wearing last night, Arizona?"

The doors slammed shut just as he got the words out and before Callie could respond, perfect timing.

Callie sighed and looked sideways at Arizona, who was still looking bemused, "Sorry about him."

Arizona shrugged, "He's got a point. I am in what I wore last night-not exactly the picture of class, even if I'm showered."

Callie sipped her coffee, "Well, I think you look delightful."

Arizona laughed, "You have to say that."

They got in to Callie's car, a vintage thunderbird that had Arizona raising her eyebrows and trying not to drool. She may not know a lot about cars, but this one was incredible.

They drove in silence, sipping their coffee's, Arizona trying to quell the rush of thoughts that had started to over take her brain since Callie had suggested coming with her and the kids to the zoo. It was something she was fairly well practiced at, squashing things down. The car pulled up smoothly in front of the house, Arizona having given quiet directions during the drive.

Callie looked across at her, Arizona unbuckling her seatbelt, "I had a really nice time last night."

Arizona rolled her eyes, "With all the tears and-"

"Hey. We banned that."

Arizona grinned, "Look, you _are _bossy."

"Yep."

Arizona flicked her thumb nail against the lid of her cup, "I had a really nice night, too. Thanks for, you know, listening."

"It was my pleasure." Callie smiled at her. "And you're hot even with the tears."

Arizona laughed and rolled her eyes again, "Shut up."

Callie leant forward and Arizona met her half way. Their lips touched, Callie pressing forward in to the kiss, Arizona's hand coming up to rest gently against Callie's sternum. When they parted, Callie leant her forehead to Arizona's, "I know everything's really complicated for you, right now. But I'd really like to see you, however I can."

Arizona smiled, fingers digging in to Callie's shirt for a second, "I'd like that, too."

She pulled back, threw Callie one last smile, and slid out of the car. Callie watched her the entire walk to the front door, waving one had when Arizona did the same before she walked in to the house.

The door closed behind her and she leant back against it for a moment, looking around the the empty house.

It was eerily quiet.

Arizona took in a deep breath and let it out slowly.

She had meant what she said, she would like that, too. Callie had just been, perfect, last night. Arizona really had no idea where the tears had come from, the talking about Tim and Sally-it was as if, once she'd started, she couldn't stop; and Callie really had been perfect. Arizona's hand raised up to her lips, fingers pressing to them.

Callie captivated her, it was really the only word for it.

She knew it was soon, that her and Jayde had only ended a few weeks ago. But those few weeks felt almost like months, with everything that had occurred. She'd shut down any feelings she had about the matter along with those about her brother, it all too much at once, especially with Ella and Toby in her life.

And even though it felt soon, it all felt incredibly right.

Yet what was that, earlier? She had felt herself stiffen, when Callie had mentioned coming to the zoo. And again at the suggestion of dropping her at her mothers.

While she was over her fear of Callie's reaction to the kids, the woman obviously more running _at_ her than away from her, the concerns she had about it being too soon for the kids, too selfish of her when the kids needed her, weren't gone.

Why did it all have to be so complicated?

Arizona pushed off the door and went up stairs, finding a change of clothes and stripping down and changing.

In a previous life, or alternate universe, they would have stayed in bed all day having mind blowing sex-and Arizona had no concerns that it wouldn't be mind blowing, if last night had been anything to go by. They would have had a lazy breakfast in bed and stayed there all day. Or, if they weren't quite there yet, they would have met up and spent the day getting lunch, flirting loudly and openly, and making out on the couch to a movie.

But in Arizona's reality, she had to go pick up her niece and nephew and take them to the zoo, and then bring them home and play parent.

She ran a brush through her hair. She in no way resented the kids, but buried deep down, was still a little resentment at the situation.

And talking to Callie last night, actually partly voicing some of those feelings she'd had bottled up and locked away, she found herself feeling slightly better. Callie made her feel it was okay, to feel like that. She had expected to see shock or disgust, but had purely seen sympathy and understanding.

Arizona padded down the stairs, grabbing the keys and starting the drive to Barbara's to get the kids.

She loved the kids, and life here was starting to feel a little more, settled, if that was the word.

She just felt like she owed them so much, that starting something as new and distracting as Callie was unfair to them. Teddy had said last night that her brother wouldn't want that, that he'd want her to be happy.

But was it all too soon? How would she manage this new relationship, the two kids and being a full time surgeon? And on top of it all, moving past the grief that threatened to swallow her whole at times.

She parked in her parents driveway and grinned when she saw Ella pressed to the front window, waving madly.

She waved back and grabbed her bag, picking up her phone and checking it before she slipped out the car.

Callie. The text made her laugh out loud, delightedly, to herself.

_Even after that simple kiss in the car, I need a cold shower. We really do deserve a medal for last night-what are you doing to me, Arizona Robbins? :)_

Arizona wasn't sure she could stop even if she wanted to.

####

As Arizona's second week at the hospital started, then finished up and she entered her third, she had started to manage to get a routine going. Emergency surgeries that ran late were generally handled by Karev or one the other pediatric attendings. Many of them surgeries Arizona wanted to sink her teeth in to, but it was one of the things she had learnt to sacrifice. Ella had started to settle in school, and Arizona had met up with the counsellor there. The woman had mostly reassured Arizona, telling her while Ella was at times a little withdrawn, her attention span had improved since her first week back, and she was still keeping up with classwork. When Arizona had enquired if Ella ever spoke to her, the counsellor had shaken her head, but said she used art a lot to say the things she couldn't, and she hadn't seen anything that overly concerned her. Ella was still calling out in her sleep on the odd occasion, but Arizona found she easily settled and would just shower her with extra hugs in the morning.

The calls from Arizona's mother had gone from daily to second or third daily, the woman often in tears and just needing to speak. Her father had stopped shutting himself in his study as much, but still refused to speak of Tim, and Arizona had become her mothers grief councillor, something she didn't actually mind. If it wasn't for her mothers support, she wouldn't be handling the kids at all.

Arizona found work became her social playground, as well as just a work place. Not having much, or any, if she was honest, time outside of work for socialising, Seattle Grace Mercy West had become the place she saw friends. She was regularly at the coffee cart with Teddy, or seated in the cafeteria with several of the attendings or residents. She found that it appeared that everyone elses social lives existed there, and the amount of drama was almost addictive to watch. She found she got along well with the chief, Owen Hunt, but that out of loyalty for Teddy, she kept a bit of a distance. The man seemed lonely, and angry, to her. He struck her as someone who needed a friend.

She almost wanted to give him advice on his children issues with the resident, Yang: don't push her, or he'd lose her. You can't force someone to want a baby. However, it was none of her business.

She relished that she got to appear in the day care at sporadic times. Watching Toby look up and discover her standing there, the way his face lit up and he ran at her, arms up and ready to be swept in to a cuddle, had the ability to make a bad work day better. He'd wrap his arms and legs around, then pull back after pressing an incredibly disgusting, endearing wet kiss to her cheek and exclaim "Na!" as if she was the best thing to happen to his day.

Her biggest enjoyment, by far, was Callie.

Arizona's life had left her very little spare time to see Callie outside of work. The week just gone, their days off hadn't coincided remotely, and Arizona had been busy with the kids on hers, anyway. But during work? There, they dated.

Arizona turned around while going through charts, waiting to start rounds, and found a coffee sitting next to her, sneakily put there by Callie, who she'd just catch a glimpse of rounding the corner down the hall. They met in the scrub rooms between surgeries, somehow always managing to know when one was starting or finishing, and lean against the sink, chatting about nothing. Lunch was had together almost everyday, occasionally alone, or with Teddy and Mark, but often with the crowd of surgeons. Callie had been stuck in surgery over night, and Arizona had met her with the largest coffee she could find. Callie had walked out of the scrub room, pulling her scrub cap off her head, one moment looking exhausted, then looking up and catching sight of Arizona, the most stunning smile spreading across her lips.

That smile made Arizona's heart speed up every time.

However, twelve days since the Saturday morning they'd last been alone together, Arizona wanted to see her outside of work. She loved how they were getting to know each other, the catching up over coffee and stale cafeteria food, watching each other operate and flirting atrociously in the hallway, but she wanted a real date. She wanted to get out of the hospital. Hell, she kind of wanted to get out of the house and have some adult company.

She hadn't yet figured out how she was going to manage the dating and the kids, but she knew, for now, they needed to be kept separate. She didn't want those kids doubting for even a second that they were her number one priority.

She also didn't want that to mean she didn't see Callie.

"So go on a date with her, for Christ sakes!"

Arizona blinked over her coffee at Teddy. They were leant against the wall waiting for Teddy's latte at the beginning of their work day. It was rare they didn't have a twenty minute chat over coffee before both facing their mornings.

"Uh-okay?"

Teddy leant her shoulder against the wall, facing Arizona with her arms crossed, "Look, I'm sorry, but you want to see her out of work? Do it. So you have those two kids-that doesn't mean your life stops."

"But what if they-"

"They won't feel like you're neglecting them, Arizona."

Clearly, she'd verbalised this to Teddy more than she had realised.

"But-"

"No. They won't. Keep it all separate, for now, if that's what you need to do. Really, that makes sense, all three of you have had huge life changes, it's okay to do that. But, seriously, go on a damn date so I can live vicariously through you."

Arizona sipped her coffee, eyes wide, "You know me far too well."

"It's creepy, considering this friendship is younger than the carton of milk in my fridge."

Arizona wrinkled her nose, "Ew."

"I'm not home much."

"Still sleeping at the hospital?"

Teddy shrugged, "Most of the time."

"When do I need to start to worry about that?"

"When I try and move a cat in to the Attendings lounge. Then, _then_ you may have me committed."

Arizona nodded, "Check, first sign of feline in the hospital, I worry." She titled her head slightly, taking Teddy in, "Though I may before then, too."

Teddy smiled softly, reaching over to accept the coffee the attendant handed out to her. They stayed against the wall, neither completely willing to succumb to their work days just yet, "Deal. Now, date. You. Soon."

Arizona nodded, leaving Teddy's issues alone for now as she so clearly wanted her to, "Okay. fine. I just don't know when."

"Well, you have Saturday off. I recall Callie saying she has an early finish Saturday. And you both have Sunday off. What about a good old Saturday night date?"

Arizona raised her eyebrows, "You've been planning this."

"Well, you weren't going to get off your ass and do it. And Callie's being so overly respectful of you and your life that she doesn't want to push it, so that left me."

Arizona laughed out loud, trying to hide the smile behind her coffee cup the comment about Callie produced, "What about the kids? My mum's been dropping everything to take care of them for me, I don't know if I can ask this of her."

"And I'm sure she'd do it again, but if you don't want to ask, how about I babysit?"

Arizona's mouth almost dropped open, "You'd do that?"

"Why not? I'm not some fifteen year old who's going to have my boyfriend come over and put cigarette holes in your couch, I'm a doctor and I vaguely remember what kids like to do in their spare time."

"Teddy, that would be amazing."

"Well, I'm fairly amazing, so that's a given."

Arizona laughed, "Okay. I'll ask Callie."

Teddy smiled, "Excellent. I'm like a skinny cupid."

They went their separate ways, Arizona laughing at the image Teddy had produced, and before she could pull out her phone to text Callie, her pager went off and Arizona was pulled in to the intensity of the pit and emergency surgery.

By the time Arizona found herself having time to get in contact with Callie, it was the end of the day and she was picking up Toby from daycare. She hadn't even gotten lunch that day, having spent the majority of it in surgery.

Toby hit her legs at a run before she'd walked more than three steps in to the daycare. She lifted him up and gave him a squeeze before settling him on to to her hip.

"Hey little man, I'm sorry I didn't get to see you today." She looked up at Tanya, smiling and waving, signing the sheet to register she'd picked up Toby. She grabbed his backpack and slipped it over her arm, hugging Toby onto her hip as she exited the centre.

She pulled out her phone and sent a text quickly, laughing as Toby tried to grab it from her. It was scary how well he could flick through things on her iPhone, considering he was sixteen months old.

_Hey Callie-are you free this Saturday night? I was wondering if you wanted to knock my socks off with that date..._

She hit send and slipped her phone in her pocket.

"Did you play trains today, Tobes?"

"Thomas."

"Thomas, huh? Doesn't Percy get jealous that you don't play with him very much?"

Toby just blinked at her.

"Yeah, never mind."

"Arizona!"

Arizona stopped in her tracks and smiled at Callie, standing in front of her. She hadn't even paid attention to the fact that she had entered the lobby, she'd been that focused on the text then Toby.

"Hey."

Callie waved her hand in the air, her phone in it, but her eyes on Toby, who was staring at her, wide eyed, "I just got your text. Hey there, cutie!" She looked from Toby to Arizona, "Wow, I see what you mean when you said he looks even more like you than Ella."

Arizona jostled Toby on her hip gently, his hand raising to his mouth to suck on his fingers, something he'd started to do when he didn't have his blanket, "Yeah, people always assume he's mine." She smiled sadly as she reached up and tugged at his hand to pop the fingers out of his mouth. He kept staring at Callie, refusing to smile even though she grinned at him.

"He's gorgeous, Arizona."

Arizona looked at Callie and smiled genuinely, "I think so," she looked to Toby, "And you certainly know it, don't you mister." She poked him in the tummy, trying to get the serious look off his face, and he yelped a laugh, giggling and burying his face in Arizona's neck, arms wrapping around her.

Arizona laughed, Callie grinning at the display, "He always this shy?"

"Not even remotely."

"I didn't think so." Callie caught Arizona's eye, "I'm in for Saturday, by the way. As if there was any question."

Arizona smiled, her hand running up and down Toby's back, "Great."

"Can I pick you up? Say, seven?"

"Seven thirty okay? Then this one will be asleep."

"Seven thirty is perfect, be prepared to have your socks knocked off."

"Awesome."

"What do you say, Toby?" Toby peeked up at Callie from Arizona's shoulder, "Can I steal your aunty for a little while?"

"My Na." He buried his face back into her neck.

Callie laughed and Arizona rolled her eyes, poking him in the ribs again so he gave a squeal of laughter, "You can share, little man."

"I was just paged back in, so I have to run. But I'll see you for lunch tomorrow?"

Arizona nodded, "Definitely."

Callie hovered for a minute, looking like the last thing she wanted to do was leave. She finally took a step backwards, smiling ruefully, "I'll see you, then. Bye Toby!"

Toby sat up finally, waving his hand at Callie, "Bye Bye!"

Arizona tickled him again and he wriggled and laughed.

Callie gave Arizona one last smile before finally turning and walking away. Arizona watched her until she disappeared from view, knowing she had an idiotic smile on her face and just not caring.

She looked to Toby, who was looking after Callie as if he regretted not being nicer, now the lady with the pretty smile had gone. He looked to Arizona, almost confused.

"You'll see her again, Tobes, I'm sure."

He nodded and stuck his fingers back in his mouth.

####


	11. Chapter 11

**Title: **Changes  
**Author: **gabs88  
**Pairing: **Callie/Arizona  
**Summary: **When Arizona's brother dies in a car crash with his wife, she is named guardian of his two children. What does this mean for the life of someone who never wanted her own kids, let alone anyone elses?  
**Rating: **T  
**Disclaimer: **All characters belong to ABC/Shonda Rhimes.  
**Note: **I just keep saying thanks for all the feedback, and it just never feels like enough...but really, I mean it! Thank you :) It's so appreciated.

**Changes  
Chapter Eleven**

"Why are you in a dress?"

Arizona turned from the mirror and raised her eyebrows at Ella, who was peering around her door frame, Toby standing under her, tattered blanket in hand. He grinned when Arizona turned and caught them staring, running forward and colliding with her knees, holding his arms up. Arizona smiled at him and bent down, swinging him up onto her hip. He instantly dropped his head on her shoulder, hand coming up to splay his tiny fingers over her collarbone, blanket held tight between them.

She ran her fingers over his hair, soft after a wash in the bath. He was incredibly sweet and endearing at this time of night, sleepy and cuddly. Arizona looked to Ella, who had now stepped into her room, and then looked down at her self, "Is it a bad dress?"

Ella's eyes widened and she shook her head adamantly, "No! You look really pretty." She sat on the edge of Arizona's bed, cradling her marker covered purple cast in her arm without even thinking, she was so used to it now, her face scrunched up as she continued to peer at Arizona, "But you never wear dresses."

Arizona smiled and turned back to the mirror, "I used to, Ella Bella."

She said it without thinking.

"Why don't you now?" Ella's voice was curious.

Arizona paused, taking in the site of a half asleep Toby on her hip, her red, cut off at the knee cocktail dress never having seen a child near it before. It had always been her go to dress, the neck line low enough to catch someones eye without being too out there, the skirt moving around her knees in a way she loved as she moved. However, it was the back that sold it, cut down between her shoulder blades. Arizona made sure to keep the smile on her face, running her fingers through Toby's hair again and turning away from the mirror, to look at Ella, who was watching her innocently, "I've just been so busy with my new job."

Ella nodded seriously, "You have an important job. Nana told me you save kids. Like Doctor Callie saved my arm."

Arizona grinned, "Exactly."

"Can I do that when I grown up?"

"Is that what you want to do?"

Ella thought for a moment, then shook her head, "I want to own an ice cream truck."

Arizona laughed, leaning down and rubbing her nose against Ella's, who shook her head back and forth to reciprocate the motion, "You can do that, if you want. You could be like Ben and Jerry, and make whole new flavours of ice cream."

Ella bounced on the bed, "I could make macaroni and cheese ice cream!"

It was Arizona's turn to wrinkle up her nose, "Mac and cheese ice cream?"

Ella nodded, "Yeah."

"As a flavour?"

"My favourite dinner is mac and cheese with ice cream as desert. That way I get all of it!"

Arizona made a face, "Just 'cause it mixes in your tummy doesn't mean it should mix in an ice cream flavour."

Ella almost looked disappointed, "Oh."

Arizona reached out her spare hand, still holding Toby with the other arm, who was blinking steadily to ward off sleep. Ella took her hand and Arizona pulled her up, "If you want to make it a flavour, you can Ella Bella. Actually, we had mac and cheese for dinner. So you get ice cream after Toby is in bed."

Ella's eyes lit up, bouncing as they walked out to the hallway and to the stairs, "I do?"

"It's Saturday night, I don't see why not."

"No school tomorrow!"

Arizona shook her head as the walked in to the living room, "Nope. You can stay up with Teddy and watch a DVD. Have you picked one?"

Ella let go of her hand and flopped in to her bean bag, nodding, "Yup. Beauty and the Beast."

Arizona sat on the couch, shifting Toby so he sat on her lap, his legs wrapped around her, head nestled into her neck. She rubbed his back up and down, "Good choice. I think Teddy will like it."

"Will I like Teddy?"

Arizona cocked her head as she looked at Ella, who was fiddling with her cast almost nervously, "I think you'll love Teddy. She's kind of funny."

"I like funny."

"You'll like Teddy, then."

It was times like this, the idea of meeting a new person making her nervous, that Arizona saw the changes the loss of her parents had caused for Ella. She had lost some of her confidence, the once overly friendly girl reserved, still.

Ella nodded, "Good."

"And you get ice cream, so win win, hey?"

Ella smiled finally, "Yeah. And a DVD."

Arizona eyed her playfully, "Just one, right?"

Ella grinned, cheeky dimples popping, "Just one."

"I know Beauty and the Beast came in a dual cover with The Little Mermaid, but that's still two DVD's."

Ella's face dropped, Arizona on to her, "But-" Arizona raised her eyebrows. Ella leant back on her bean bag, "Fine. Can I watch it tomorrow?"

"When Tobes has a sleep, how about we make some popcorn and watch it together?"

"Okay! So when is Doctor Callie getting here?"

Arizona had told Ella that Callie and her were seeing a movie, friends hanging out. Ella had purely been excited to see Callie again.

Laughing, Arizona stood up, "Soon. Teddy will be here any minute. I'm going to put Toby down-wait for me, if the doorbell goes."

Ella rolled her eyes, "I know, Aunty Na."

"So you should." Arizona poked her tongue out at her.

"Night, Toby!"

Toby waved his hand at his sister, barely raising his head. Arizona had taken them to the park before dinner, and he'd not stopped running for over an hour, chasing the ducks and generally causing chaos. Her plan to tire him out had apparently worked.

She walked into the kitchen, grabbing the bottle she'd prepared earlier, holding it up to Toby.

"Ta?"

He echoed the word, a sweet, "Ta" leaving his mouth seconds before he shoved the bottle in to it. She walked them up the stairs, his eyes already closing as he drank. Arizona stood with him a moment next to his crib, patting his back as she rocked him, not needing to bother on his behalf, Toby practically asleep. She was more enjoying him when he was this still, his long eyelashes casting shadows on his cheeks.

The doorbell went and she pressed a kiss to his head, putting him down gently. His blanket was tucked under his arm, Arizona pulling his thicker blanket over him.

"Night, Tobes."

She left the door half open, walking down the stairs to see Ella hovering at the door.

"Here she is!" Ella practically yelled through the door, presumably in answer to whatever the person on the other side had asked.

"Ella, inside voice, Toby is asleep."

"You said I couldn't open the door."

"True, I did." Arizona smiled at Ella as she leant forward, pulling open the door and smiling at Teddy, dressed comfortably in jeans and a hoody, "Hey, Teddy."

Teddy grinned, "Hey." She looked Arizona up and down, eyes widening, "Nice dress, you're _so_ going to get lai-" Arizona had pushed the door open wider to remind her Ella was standing there, "lai-, uh, lame. Your foot will go lame, if you wear high heels with that dress."

Arizona raised her eyebrows and tried not to smirk, the look on Teddy's face one of utter panic, "Teddy, this is Ella. Ella, this is Teddy."

"What's lame?"

Teddy shrugged, somewhat lamely herself, "Uh, it means you can't walk properly. If you hurt your foot."

Ella looked up at Arizona worriedly, "Don't get lame!"

Arizona finally laughed, resting her hand on Ella's shoulder, "I won't Ella Bella," she looked back at Teddy, "Come on in, you're in for a night of Beauty and the Beast and ice cream."

Teddy's eyes lit up, "Beauty and the Beast?"

Ella eyed her, "Yeah?"

"That's my favourite Disney movie!"

Arizona smiled as Ella's eyes widened, "It is?"

Teddy nodded, "Yeah. I always wanted to have the library Belle gets."

"Me too!"

Ella grabbed Teddy's hand and dragged her in to the livingroom.

"I'm just going to finish getting ready!" Arizona called after them. They both just waved a hand at her in acknowledgement, Ella talking a mile a minute and Teddy listening intently.

Arizona made her way upstairs, putting the finishing touches on her make up in the bathroom. One bathroom, an adult and two kids was not fun. She missed her bathroom back in Maryland.

She threw a yellow duck that had somehow made it onto the hand basin into the tub where it belonged.

At least it had always been clean.

Her bedroom was surprisingly neat, Arizona knowing instantly what she'd wear. It was her old faithful dress, comfortable and managing to look awesome even while not looking too dressed up. She slipped on a pair of black heels and took a last look in the mirror.

She'd cleaned up alright. Arizona adjusted the dress, it slightly looser than she remembered from the last time she'd worn it. Stress and grief had apparently led to a little weight loss.

She heard the doorbell go again, grabbed her bag off the bed and went down the stairs. Poking her head into the living room, she saw Ella and Teddy already sat in front of the TV in bean bags next to each other, bowls of ice cream already in their laps.

Shaking her head, Arizona pulled open the door.

She almost fell over.

Callie pulled off this dress like she'd never seen before.

A grin crossed Callie's face, her eyes flicking down Arizona's body and back up, "Hey."

Arizona returned the smile, "Hey, yourself. You, ah, you look amazing."

And she did, wrapped in a black dress that clung everywhere it should, hair half swept up one side, curls loose at the back and other side, make up perfect, minimalistic.

"You, too. You look great."

Arizona ducked her head, "Thanks."

"Doctor Callie!" The yell came from the livingroom, snapping them out of it.

Callie raised her eyebrows.

Arizona shrugged apologetically, "She's been excited since she found out you were coming yesterday."

Callie chuckled, "Good to know, because I've been excited since Thursday."

"Want to take Ella out then?"

Callie shook her head, "I don't even want to joke and say yes." She was still smiling, but there was a look in her eye that made Arizona's grip tighten on the door, "Tonight, I just want you."

They stared at each other or a minute, smiling, before Arizona managed to answer, "Good-I don't want to have to compete with a seven year old."

"Doctor Callie!" The yell was much louder and with zero regard for a sleeping sibling.

"You better come in before she wakes up Toby."

Callie stepped through the door, Arizona holding it open for her. Callie paused for a minute, shoulder brushing Arizona's front. Her eyes darted to Arizona's mouth and back up before she bit her own lip and walked through the hallway, following the yells to the right in to the living room.

Arizona blew out a slow breath and shut the door, following Callie.

She walked in a found Ella hanging off Callie with one arm, eyes still glued to the DVD playing, Callie greeting Teddy, who also had one eye on the TV and Callie, also managing to watch the movie playing.

Callie scooped up Ella and plopped her, giggling, on to the bean bag and placed her ice cream back on her lap. She squatted next to her, Ella spooning ice-cream into her mouth, eyes finally intent on Callie.

"How's the arm, Ella?"

Ella held up the limb, waving the cast covered appendage in the air, "Doesn't even hurt anymore."

"That's great. Can you wiggle all your fingers?"

Ella did so and Callie nodded, "Good. Now, most important-do you still have space for people to draw on?"

Ella's eyes widened and she shook her head, "No! It got covered really quick."

The cast was, really, covered in every spot possible with crude seven year old writing and drawings, all in different colours. Ella had come back after her fist day at school with it that way, so happy everyone had wanted to draw on it.

"That's cool, I like the horse someone drew."

"That was Aunty Na."

Callie raised her eyebrows and looked up at Arizona, who shrugged, Callie's expression clearly showing amusement that the drawing really did look like a childs.

"Art's not my strong point."

"Clearly."

"I like it, Aunty Na!"

"Thanks, Ella Bella." She grinned at her niece.

"Can't you two stay and watch DVD's with me and Teddy?"

Callie made a genuinely sad face, "Aw, I would, but we have a booking. Maybe next time?"

Ella's eyes were already back to the TV, interest lost when she realised they wouldn't be staying, "Okay."

Callie ruffled her hair and stood, looking down at Teddy, who looked ridiculous with her ice cream bowl, laid out on a tiny childs bean bag, "You good there, Teddy?"

Teddy waved her spoon, eyes trained on the screen, "Great. You crazy kids go out." She finally pulled her eyes away, "Have fun, and don't rush home-I'm all good here."

She grinned at them, then looked back to the television.

"Thanks again, Teddy, bye Ella!"

Both of them just waved their spoons.

"You have my cell number-if Toby wakes up, he should settle fine with just a back rub. If you get desperate, you can use a pacifier."

Teddy waved her spoon again, "We'll be fine, go. Enjoy!"

Callie grinned at her and they started to walk out, hearing Teddy's voice as they did so.

"They interrupted us, Ella-rude. Want to rewind?"

Arizona and Callie both laughed, Arizona leading them out. She held the door open, Callie walking through first. Arizona pulled the door shut and then gasped as she felt her self pushed back against it.

Callie was pressed against her, her face inches from her own.

Arizona smiled, "Hey."

"Hey."

Callie leant forward, lips pressing to hers gently. She pulled back slightly before kissing her again, Arizona leaning in to it, their mouths parted and fingers grasped at the material of each others dresses as Callie's tongue slid against her own.

Callie pulled back slowly, forehead resting on Arizona's, a smile on her lips, "I've wanted to do that constantly the last two weeks."

"Two weeks was a stupidly long time to go without that."

"Why did we again?"

"We were stuck at work and...I actually don't know why."

"Let's not again."

Arizona nodded, "Deal."

Callie kissed her once more, lingering a second, "Okay. I have a booking for Italian, and if we keep doing this I'll happily miss it."

"Let's miss it?"

Callie laughed, "And stay on your doorstep all night?"

Arizona looked vaguely around them, "True. Dinner it is."

Callie took her hand and led her down then front walk to her car, opening the passenger door for Arizona, who slid in to her side. Callie walked around and entered the drivers side, starting the car before leaning back against the seat, looking at Arizona with a smile on her lips.

Arizona gave a nervous chuckle, "What?"

"You just look gorgeous, I really could spend all night kissing you."

Arizona leant back in her seat, head turned and eyes still glued to Callie's, "Right back at you."

Callie gave a laugh at how ridiculous they were being, "Okay. I'm driving now, or we won't go anywhere."

Arizona settled back as Callie pulled onto the road, enjoying the feeling of being dressed up, out of the house and being looked at like she was all Callie could see.

They didn't have to drive far, chatting amicably, easily. Callie laughing when she heard about Toby with the ducks, Arizona's eyes widening, impressed, when she heard Callie had taken on a shattered pelvis the day before and won.

They eventually pulled up to a restaurant, Callie handing her keys to the valet attendant, taking Arizona's hand and leading them inside. Greeting them warmly, they were seated instantly by the waiter when Callie gave her name for the reservation, wine brought over before Arizona could even blink.

"Do they know you here?" Arizona eyed Callie over her wine glass as she took a sip.

Callie rolled her eyes, "I'm here fairly often. My Dad owns, uh, a hotel or two. This restaurant is linked to it, so yeah."

Arizona raised her eyebrows, loving that she had learnt something about Callie, "Your Dad is in the hotel business? That can be a really hard area, can't it?" Arizona really knew nothing about the business.

"He does pretty well."

"That's good-you didn't want to get involved in it all?"

Callie almost choked on her wine, "Oh, God, no." Arizona laughed at the strength of the reaction and Callie gave a sheepish grin, "I was never interested. My sister has, but I joined the peace corp straight out of school, and always knew I wanted to go in to surgery."

"The peace corp? That's awesome. Did you always want to go in to ortho, though?"

Callie shrugged, "Not in med school, but after, yeah. My first case as an intern that I remember, we had this guy come in with both legs crushed in an MVA. I worked with the attending for eighteen hours, I didn't even pee. I just remember the feeling when we looked down, and he and I had pieced the guy back together like a puzzle. It was then I realised it was an art form, the tendons and ligaments and muscle-he walked out of there, even though he shouldn't have."

Arizona smiled, the passion in Callie's voice something she didn't think the other woman even realised she had, "That's a great reason to get into a specialty."

Callie sipped her wine as she glanced down at the menu, "You should try the linguine-it's amazing. What got you in to paeds?"

Arizona bit her lip to smother a slight smile, "It's not as-poetic-as your story."

Callie looked up, interested.

"I heard it was the elite. When I started, I heard it was hard core, they took the fewest fellows. I was sold, it was a challenge."

Callie grinned, "You like to be the best."

Arizona opened her mouth to disagree but shut it, shrugging, "Maybe."

Callie laughed softly, "I just love that you didn't feed me some story about helping a kid when you were an intern and it altering your life."

"That did happen later, continues to happen, now, but I figured I'd be honest about my original intentions."

"I appreciated that."

"Good."

The waiter came over and they ordered, Arizona taking Callie's advice on any of the menu items she recommended.

They chatted idly about Callie's family as they waited, and as their food was placed in front of them, both having agreed they'd rather skip entres to make sure they could fit in desert, Arizona was confused.

"So your father was okay with you running off to the peace corp, and doing medicine, not the family business. But he almost disowned you for the bisexual thing?"

Callie nodded, "Not almost, he did, for awhile. That was fun."

Arizona mouth was hanging open, "Oh my god, Callie, that would have been horrible."

Callie gave a half shrug as she swallowed her risotto, "If this was a couple of years ago, I wouldn't be able to talk to you about it without crying. But it's okay now, it's resolved. We're okay."

"He just, got over it?"

"No. He reacted, and not in a great way. And I was so mad, that he couldn't accept me. He thought that because I didn't have a serious girlfriend, that I was just reacting to my divorce and would come around to men. Well, that didn't happen, and he cut me off."

"You were divorced?" Arizona sipped her wine, digesting this information as she sat back in her chair, engrossed in the conversation. Callie, it seemed, had a full history that was a mystery to her, and Arizona found her even more intriguing than she had earlier.

"Um, yes. It didn't exactly end well."

"Obviously." Arizona smiled softly.

Callie laughed, "So after that, Dad put my sexuality down to me 'hating men'. Then when he couldn't anymore, he cut me off and threatened me with bible preachings. If it wasn't for Mark, I don't know what I would have done."

"He sounds like a good friend."

"He is. He's a better person, too, since Lexie."

"They seem happy."

"Stupidly so."

They finished their mains, idly chatting about how Callie's dad had eventually sought her out and made peace, how they had settled eventually, him never completely comfortable, but finally accepting her.

They ordered a desert to share, both full even after skipping entrees.

"I wonder how Teddy's holding up." Arizona mused.

"She looked pretty comfortable when we left."

"I'll have to invite her over more, she seemed really content with the kids."

Callie spooned some of the chocolate tourte in to her mouth, eyes closing in ecstasy as she swallowed it, "God, that's amazing. Yeah, she looked more relaxed than I'd seen her in ages."

Arizona tore her eyes from Callie's lips, leaning onto her forearms on the table and taking some cake herself, trying not to think about the expression on her face and the effect it had had on her, "Ella has that effect. As does Beauty and the Beast."

Callie laughed.

Desert finished up and the check came, Callie finally winning th argument of who paid, insisting she'd organised this one and Arizona could get the next one.

"Next one?" Arizona asked with a smile.

"Yeah, next one."

"I like that."

They exited, the valet bringing Callie's car, and both slipping in to it.

Arizona felt something heavy settle in to her lower stomach. She didn't want the date to end, and, in her situation, it's not like she could take Callie home. Or go to Callie's, even if Teddy was with the kids, she couldn't leave the poor woman there all night and it was already well after ten.

The old worries and how she was supposed to be going through this, dating and the kids, started to flare up.

"Hey, whats wrong?" Callie's soft voice interrupted her thinking.

Arizona smiled, looking across at Callie as she drove, "Nothing-I just don't want this date to end."

Callie grinned, "Good, because it hasn't yet."

Arizona looked surprised, "Really?"

"Trust me. I want to show you a reason to love Seattle."

Arizona was starting to think she had quite a few reasons she had never expected for just that.

Callie drove, turning the music up as her iPod kicked in some of her favourite songs.

"Do I get to know where we're going?"

"Nope, we're almost there-in fact, close your eyes."

Arizona eyed her in the dark of the car, "Seriously, Callie?"

"Yes, seriously. Close your eyes."

Sighing playfully, Arizona shut them. Minutes later, she felt the car slowing down until it eventually stopped, and heard the clicking of Callie's seatbelt as she undid it.

"Okay, open them."

Arizona opened her eyes, blinking while they adjusted.

Her mouth dropped open slightly.

In front of them was the entirety of Seattle's city view, lit up and looking incredible in the dark. They were up in what seemed to be a park, a bench a few meters away from the car overlooking the view.

"Callie, that's gorgeous."

"See-Seattles not all bad."

Arizona turned to look at her, "I'm starting to get on board with that."

Callie leant forward, reaching her hand to tuck her fingers into the strap of Arizona's dress at her shoulder, tugging her gently to meet her in the middle in another kiss.

Arizona let out a soft groan as Callie's hand came up in to her hair, finger tips gripping. She dropped her hands, unclicking her seatbelt so she could lean forward better, her hand falling to Callie's hip, Callie's fingers trailing against her neck. She sucked slightly at Callie's bottom lip, her fingers biting harder into her skin when Callie let out a groan of her own in response. Leaning further forward, Arizona manoeuvred herself in way she hadn't done in years, leg sliding over to straddle Callie in the front seat, managing to not break the kiss.

Callie's tongue pushed into her mouth and Arizona ground her hips slightly against Callie, one of Callie's hands falling to rest against her thigh. The hand slid up, fingers digging into her ass over the material of her dress. The kiss broke, Callie's lips pressing slowly against her jaw, down her neck to settle against a spot behind her ear that sent shivers down Arizona's spine.

"That feel so good, Callie."

She could feel Callie smile against her neck. Callie's tongue ran against skin, her teeth grazing, causing another soft moan to fall out of Arizona's mouth. Arizona's hands gripped the back of Callie's head, digging in to the softness of her hair and pulling her back up to her lips. Their mouths crashed together, the gentleness of their movements fading. Arizona rocked her hips again, seeking contact and not finding enough. Callie's hand gripped her neck, the hand at her hip moving up slowly, the back of it moving over the swell of her breast before fingertips trailed over the exposed skin at her chest, over her collarbone and back down, touch feather light. Callie's lips pulled away again, pressing to her neck, sucking gently, teeth nipping at the flesh. Arizona felt Callie run her hand run back up again, finally cupping her breast through her dress, palm grinding against her just as Callie sucked again at her pulse point, driving Arizona crazy.

Headlights washed through the car, moving away as another vehicle parks a few spaces away from them. Both women paused, breathing hard, Callie's hand still to her breast, now looking like two fifteen years olds who had been caught making out.

They caught each others eye and couldn't help it: they cracked up. Arizona dropped her head down, their foreheads pressed together.

"We're not ever going to catch a break."

Callie grinned, hand falling back to rest on Arizona's thigh, the other still buried in her hair, "Probably a good thing. First time in a car? What are we, seventeen?"

"Like that's not why you brought me up here."

Callie tilted her head up, kissing her softly, "On to me, huh?"

"Romantic view of the Seattle skyline in an, apparently, abandoned car park?"

"Can you blame me?"

"Did you hear me complain?" Arizona smiled and kissed her again. She sighed, "I don't want to move."

"Unless you want to keep doing what we were doing while a couple does the same thing meters away, you may have to. Because if you stay pressed to me like this I can't be held accountable for my actions."

Arizona grinned and slid off her as gracefully as she could, seating herself back into the passenger seat. They both sat for a moment, heads pressed back against the seats and admiring the view. Their breathing slowed down and they tried to ignore the frustration.

"I think I just heard sex noises from that car."

Arizona wrinkled her noise, "Ew, okay. Time to go."

Callie laughed, doing up her seatbelt as Arizona did the same, starting the car and pulling out, "I'm currently very resentful of that car."

Arizona turned her head, smiling softly at Callie and reaching a hand over to rest against her thigh, "Me too."

They reached Arizona's faster than either of them wanted to, Callie pulling up out the front.

"I want to walk you to the door..."

"But you're worried Teddy will ambush the both of us?"

"Exactly."

"It's safer not to. We'll end up against the door again, she'll interrupt, we'll get cranky-it's probably for the best."

Callie laughed, "I had a really great time, Arizona."

"I did as well.

"Um, I'll see you Monday?"

Arizona leant forward, Callie copying her, their lips hovering near each other, "You'll be getting texts from me tomorrow, I'm sure."

Callie smiled, "Good."

Arizona kissed her, once, and pulled back, not trusting herself to do more. She raised a hand, pressing it softly against Callie's sternum, "You're so incredibly patient."

Callie smiled at her like she was an idiot, "Why wouldn't I be? I'm enjoying this, all of this."

"Me, too."

Callie leant forward this time, kissing her once before pulling back again, "Go before I drive you to my house and kidnap you."

"Is that a threat?"

"No, it's genuinely what I'll do in a minute. You're addictive."

Arizona laughed, kissing her once more, unclicking her belt again and opening the door, "Thanks for a great night, Callie."

"Thank you, Arizona."

Arizona, grinning to herself, slid out and walked up her front steps, Callie not driving away until she saw Arizona walked in safe.

Pale blue TV light washed in from the livingroom and Arizona walked through, pausing in the doorway, trying not to laugh out loud.

Ella and Teddy were top to tail on the couch, a blanket pulled over them, both fast asleep with a pillow each. There was still ice cream smeared on Ella's cheek, and the credits to a movie were rolling over the TV screen. She pulled out her phone and quickly took a photo, sending it to Callie with a quick message under it.

_Pretty sure I'm going to leave them like this._

She walked over and switched the TV off, looking back to the couch to make sure she hadn't woken either of them up. They were both still fast asleep, the modular couch wide and spacious, both looking comfortable. Arizona was fairly certain their feet were tangled together, but didn't see any reason to move either of them.

She felt her phone vibrate and looked down.

_That's stupidly cute. You definitely can't wake them. Aunty Teddy-naw!_

Arizona smiled and replied, walking up stairs as she did so.

_Done, they're left. There's still ice cream on Ella's cheek._

She peeked her head in on Toby, fast asleep. He still woke up once or twice a week, simply needing a cuddle to get him back down, occasionally a nappy change. Tonight though, he was out to it, on his stomach with his legs tucked up under him, bum in the air, blanket clasped close. And there was no pacifier. Arizona was winning that battle.

She quickly brushed her teeth and washed her face, slipping in to her pyjamas and sliding in to bed.

She really still had no idea what to do about any of it. Yes, Ella liked Callie, and Toby would, too. Yes, she liked Callie. But it wasn't as simple as that. Dating Callie was different, having a girlfriend, a partner, in her life? That would affect the kids, and maybe not in a good way. They needed stable, they needed to know Arizona was there, one hundred percent. They'd thought that of their parents, and now they only had Arizona and she didn't want to mess this, or them, up.

It was complicated, and hard.

But tonight?

Tonight Arizona was relishing in a first real date, in the memory of Callie's lips against her own, against her neck. The feel of her hands on her.

She looked at her phone, realising Callie might have said something.

_She's a kid, the ice cream can stay there.  
inappropriate to say, that I'd love to lick ice cream off your cheek?'_

Arizona had no idea how she did it, but Callie always brought a smile to her face.


	12. Chapter 12

**Title: **Changes  
**Author: **gabs88  
**Pairing: **Callie/Arizona  
**Summary: **When Arizona's brother dies in a car crash with his wife, she is named guardian of his two children. What does this mean for the life of someone who never wanted her own kids, let alone anyone elses?  
**Rating: **T  
**Disclaimer: **All characters belong to ABC/Shonda Rhimes.  
**Note: **So glad you enjoyed their date! Love reading through all the reviews, thanks for taking the time to write them :)-I just want to sit here and gush about you all all day, thank you.

Wow, this chapter ended up longer than I meant it to. Sorry if it rambles.

I miss Teddy. There, I said it.

**Changes  
Chapter Twelve**

Sometimes Arizona woke up and felt like it was just yesterday she'd been in bed with Jayde, working and traveling and living a life in which, really, she only thought about herself. Of course, she took Jayde in to perspective, her patients and her co-workers, her friends, her family. Yet, when it came down to it, she supposed she mostly looked out for herself.

Other days, she woke up and could barely remember that life. She didn't remember how it felt to stay up all night through surgery, one on one with her patient and what was tearing them apart inside. To spend thirty six hours at the hospital, on call stretching in to regular work hours, a text all she'd manage to send to Jayde to explain. Who, of course, would understand-herself sometimes not leaving the firm for days when caught up in a particularly juicy case. Arizona couldn't recall how nice it was to wake up late on her days off, to long days of brunches and sex all day and nights of bars and alcohol and restaurants.

It was strange, how it could feel forever ago and just yesterday all at the same moment.

A clichéd line, but one she had learnt to appreciate.

Arizona was starting to find, more and more, that she didn't miss those days like she had. She had ached for them fiercely, at first. In the background, behind the grief and shock, behind the learning curve of looking after two small children, she had ached to be back in her old life. She had missed Jayde, especially. Lying in bed in a spare room, shell shocked and exhausted, in the background with missing her old life, she missed Jayde. They'd been great together, supportive and adventurous and incredibly understanding of each others utter focus on their careers. She missed having someone to vent to, with only two young children, a mother who was barely holding it together and a father who was falling apart in a whisky bottle all she had. She missed Jayde, she missed having a partner.

That, too, had faded. Had ebbed away with it all, as Arizona fell in to a role she didn't know she could. As Ella and Toby stole in to her life, they took up the space her old life had left. They floated in and settled in that void in a different way, sure, but in a way that made Arizona wonder if they fit it all even better than her past life had.

She still struggled, she still felt that flicker of resentment, pushed way to the back. Sometimes she still _pined_ for Tim to be alive purely so she could punch him in the arm and yell, "Seriously, what the _fuck_ were you thinking, big brother?".

She had been happily oblivious, seven weeks ago.

The last week, Arizona had barely thought of that life at all. She woke up with the kids, the mornings the most hectic time, getting Ella to Barbara's and Toby ready for daycare, all in time for rounds. The day's at the hospital spent working, teaching Karev, laughing with Teddy and flirting with Callie.

Callie, she assumed, was a big part of the reason she was coping so well, too.

Post their date, they continued the routine they'd managed the last fortnight. Suprising each other with coffee's, having lunch where they could, stalking each others surgeries to spend ten minutes chatting while the other scrubbed out.

They may have even discovered a stairwell not many people ventured to that was an excellent make out spot.

Arizona had no idea where Callie Torres came from, but she had decided to go with it and see where it went. Callie knew Arizona's situation with the kids, she even knew she'd been dumped a month and a half ago, and was still there, her smile lighting up rooms and making Arizona's heart speed up and forcing her to lose the ability of speech momentarily.

She still didn't know how she felt about doing this with the kids. Those reservations were still there, plaguing her mind, usually right before sleep. But Callie, it seemed, was happy to take her time. It was like Callie had realised that if she moved too quickly, asked for too much, Arizona would bolt.

They'd known each other a little around a month, and Callie had figured that out.

It kind of impressed Arizona.

Sometimes, when she thought about it all too much, Arizona found her head spinning. Dating would mean more dates, how did she balance that with the kids? How on Earth did she find time for the amount of dates a new girlfriend required, when Arizona found sometimes she barely had time for a shower these days. How would the kids take it, if Callie were to spend much time with her? How would her and Callie enjoy the fun, the spark, when Arizona was tied up with two charming yet demanding children? Would Callie get bored and walk? Seeing the responsibility too much? Hell, Jayde and her had been committed three years and she'd ran. What about the kids? Would they feel put in second place? She had managed, even with work, to be there every morning and every night, on weekends. To spend time with them and make sure they knew they were her number one priority. These kids had been orphaned, they deserved to feel someone was there, one hundred percent, no matter what.

She really didn't want to fuck them up, the two only things her brother had left for her.

"If you stare much harder at that pen, I'm thinking it'll explode."

Arizona looked up, smiling to see Teddy holding out a coffee to her, a look of amusement on her face.

"Well, that's what I'm trying to do."

Teddy leant against the high desk of the nurses station, "How's that working out for you?"

Arizona glanced to the pen, laying innocently on the chart she'd been writing in, then back to Teddy, "Not so well."

Teddy sipped her coffee, "Want to share the complex thoughts that had you sticking your tongue our of your mouth a little?"

"I did _not_ do that."

"Oh, you did."

Arizona mock glared her, "Can I help you, Teddy?"

Teddy shrugged, suddenly looking a little off, eyes flicking to the ground then back to Arizona, "I brought you coffee?"

Arizona nodded, leaning to face Teddy, sipping said beverage, eyeing her over the cup, "That you did, and it's amazing." They held eye contact for a second, "What's up?"

Teddy opened her mouth then closed it again. She fidgeted, eyes flickering. Arizona waited for her to get there on her own.

"I-I haven't slept in our bed for, well, since he died."

Arizona nodded, thumb nail running along the edge of her takeaway cup as simply watched Teddy, head cocked slightly.

Teddy took a deep breath in, trying to smile, "Not once. It's been six months. I sleep here, mostly, or on the couch, when I have to go home. Once on the kitchen floor. I know it's not normal, that I _should _sleep there. But I'm so scared of waking up and reaching for him and him not being there. I-I think about moving, but that would be like giving up on him completely." Teddy's eyes were swimming with unshed tears, none falling as her lips stayed curved up, fighting to sound casual as she spoke about something that was pulling at her, "That's not normal, is it? I should be, doing something. _Anything_?"

Arizona watched her a moment longer, licking her lips as she tried to figure out what to say to that, "You're doing what you need to do. There's no guidebook, for this." She waved her hand between the two of them to indicate the 'this' she meant, "I don't think you _should_ be doing anything, specifically."

Teddy nodded, eyes wide, "I went to a support group. I left because I couldn't stop laughing. But they all seemed like they were taking steps to move past it."

"It's been six months. That's nothing, not really."

"Sometimes I can't stand it, Arizona, that I'm alive and he's gone." Teddy looked almost stricken, still fighting to seem blase, "All the air goes out of the room and I just, I can't stand it."

Arizona swallowed, hand reaching automatically to grasp at Teddy's forearm. Two women, joined in grief.

"I know, Teddy."

Teddy nodded, tears still refusing to fall.

Arizona smiled a tight lipped smile at her, "I haven't been in to their room. Not once." She tilted her head, chin jutting up slightly, "It's probably covered in dust and serving as a creepy shrine to them, but I can't bring myself to go in there." Arizona squeezed Teddy's arm, "Neither can Ella. I sleep in the tiny spare room, share a bathroom with the kids in a house that's apparently mine, because going in there and packing it up? Facing that? That feels like the step that makes all this reality."

Teddy let out a slow breath Arizona thinks she may have been holding for months without even realising.

"Thank you."

Arizona nodded, "There's no guidebook, but fuck, that'd be great."

They let go of each others arm as one, both placing a smile on their lips, taking a shaky sip of coffee.

Teddy's smile lost some of its forced edge, "If your pen leaks in your pocket later, I'm going to be amazed at the power of your mind."

Arizona laughed.

And then did the only thing she could thing to do, now Teddy had changed the subject. She went with it.

"We had this case worker stop in, to check up, the other night."

Teddy's eyes widened, "What, like someone who's keeping an eye on you?"

"They warned us that will happen the first six months, a couple of random visits."

"I thought everything was sorted, the paperwork and everything"

Arizona smiled reassuringly, "Oh, it is. I've not had the confirmation, but they said it could take months and it's only been four weeks or so since I signed it all. Sometimes there needs to be a hearing thing, or if there's no issue, they just sign off on it." Arizona flicked her thumbnail on her coffee lid, "It was their wishes, so it should all be fine."

Teddy pushed off from the nurses station, face still a little watery, and led a slow wander towards the elevators, "How did it go, with the case worker?"

Arizona shrugged, keeping her face deadpan, "She came at six thirty at night, Toby was stark naked running around the house after his bath and Ella was chasing him with one of her old dresses to try and get him to put it on. I was in the kitchen being lazy and heating a frozen pizza."

Teddy stopped dead at the elevator and pursed her lips, desperately trying not to laugh, "Oh. Well, um-" She looked sideways at Arizona and laughed loudly, Arizona joining in, "I'm sorry, but of course. Of course she shows up, _then._"

Arizona rolled her eyes, glad to hear the tension out of Teddy's voice, "Right? She was lovely though, she found Toby hilarious and adorable, and Ella typically big sistery. She even laughed and said she once made her brother wear her gymnastic leotard and perform in the backyard."

"So, basically, gave Ella more ideas?"

The elevator chimed and the doors opened, revealing a grinning Callie and Mark. The four of them eyed each other as Arizona and Teddy stepped in.

They all chorused, "Hey."

Mark raised his eyebrows at the two of them, Arizona standing purposefully so her arm brushed against Callie, Teddy grinning in to her coffee cup, "What were you two talking about that was so funny?"

Arizona shrugged, "Cross dressing."

Teddy snorted and Mark's eyes widened, Callie leaning forward to look at Teddy after the noise she made.

"Cross dressing?" Mark asked.

Arizona nodded, "Yup."

"Right."

The doors opened and Arizona and Teddy stepped out, continuing on their walk and conversation like nother had happened, Arizona looking back to grin at Callie, watching the doors close on the two best friends, standing shoulder to shoulder and watching after them with bemused expressions.

"So while it wasn't the best circumstances she could have come over to, it was fine?"

Arizona nodded, turning back to look where she was going, "Yeah. I was worried she'd be out to find fault or something, but she really is just there to check in."

Teddy nodded, "Good. Hey, can I ask something?"

Arizona looked sideways at her as they walked in to the paeds wing, "Sure?"

"What about Sally's parents? You told me why not yours, but what about them?"

Arizona bit her lower lip, "They, um, didn't have a great relationship with Sally. Or rather, Sally didn't see them, much, at all."

"Oh."

Arizona shrugged, "We got stupid drunk one night and she ranted about them being bigoted, closed minded, judgemental assholes she didn't want in her life anymore than she had to and didn't want around her kids."

Teddy's eyebrows shot up, "Oh."

"Yeah."

Sally had told her a lot more, too. But as far as Arizona was concerned, that summed it up enough. The thought of Sally's parents hadn't even crossed her mind when she questioned if she should have the kids,

"Well, they sound delightful."

Arizona laughed, grabbing the case file they were working on, "Oh, they were. They told Sally she was condemning Ella to hell because she was conceived before they were married."

Teddy held her hand out for the chart, eyebrows raising even higher, "Right. Got it. They suck."

"Exactly. Now, shall we go fix this kid?"

Teddy nodded, "Let roll."

"So glad you suggest it." Arizona grinned and kicked off on her heely's, hands in her pockets and loose hair blowing back in the slight breeze her speed caused.

"One day you'll break you neck!" Teddy called after her.

Arizona just waved her hand.

She walked out of surgery, hours later, Karev off to speak to the family, walking past the stairwell, opting for the elevator. She was almost past the door when she felt fingers wrap around her bicep and tug, and suddenly she was through the door and pressed against it and Callie was in front of her, delicious body pressed against her and smiling.

"Hi."

Arizona grinned, "Hi. This isn't our usual stairwell."

"I thought I'd branch out. Wouldn't want to get stuck in a rut."

Kissing her, Arizona pulled back slightly, lips just grazing, "Good idea."

Callie smiled, "I thought so."

Callie pushed forward, lips pressing to her with more urgency than Arizona had anticipated, but nonetheless completely welcome. Her thigh moved between her own and Arizona felt herself groan in to Callie's mouth as it pushed against her, her fingers slipping under Callie's scrub shirt to cling to her skin.

It had started to become like this, at times, in these moments. They fell on each other, hungry. Their constant flirting, their verbal sparring, the looks and touches, they all built so that in the rare moments they found time alone, one of them escalated soft, playful kisses into, well, this.

Callie's teeth literally bit at her tongue and Arizona's nails dug down. Callie had her pinned, her thigh building a rhythm that, through her scrub pants, was driving her crazy. Callie's hand was wrapped around the back of her neck, as Callie's mouth pulled away from her and pressed kisses down her jaw, to her neck, to nip behind her ear. Arizona dropped one hand, palm flat against the door behind her, fingertips pressing in.

The sound of a pager echoed, bouncing of the cement walls.

"You have," Callie's lips pressed against her neck, "to be," her tongue traced a trail to her collarbone, "kidding me." She kissed her there, once, before pulling back, meeting Arizona's irritable look. She actually laughed.

"What?" Arizona was indignant.

"You look so disgruntled."

"I hate your pager."

Callie smiled, not moving, obviously enjoying being completely pressed against her, "Well, yesterday afternoon I hated yours."

"Yeah? Yesterday morning, your mobile rang."

"Should we even mention the evening before?" Callie raised her eyebrows at her, fishing her pager out blindly.

Arizona flushed, "Karev should have knocked."

"In a public stairwell?"

"Well, that one wasn't my fault."

"Your guy, your fault."

"We need to stop making out like high schoolers all over the hospital."

Callie looked horrified, "But I don't wanna stop."

Arizona actually laughed, kissing her once, "Go. Answer your page, save limbs and break bones to fix them."

Callie grinned, "Be a rock star?"

"Exactly."

She kissed her once, pulling back with a groan when her pager beeped again.

She glared at it, "Okay, I get it!" She looked back to Arizona, slightly sulky, "Bye."

Arizona pouted at her as she pulled away, "Bye."

Callie hovered a minute, looking like she wanted to fall forward once more, eyes flickering to Arizona's lips. With a groan she turned and walked down the stairs, calling over her shoulder, "You'll be the death of me, Robbins."

Arizona sighed happily and dropped her head back against the door, "Right back at you."

####

The next evening, Barbara was coming over for dinner, making them all lasagna. She called Arizona at work and asked if it was okay, and Arizona's stomach had actually rumbled in anticipation.

"Why don't you ask Callie?"

Arizona was standing in the scrub room, having just finished scrubbing out, and her eyes widened, Callie standing next to her after bringing her a coffee at the end of their week, "Uh-maybe, Mom?"

Do you ask the girl you've had one real date with over for dinner with your mother? Was Arizona even comfortable with that concept?

The answer to that was, hell, no.

She was trying to keep the two of them separate from the kids, to keep boundaries there. Having Callie over for dinner on a Friday night for her mothers home made Lasagna and with her two, well, adoptive children was not a notion Arizona felt excited about.

But, damn her mother, Ella had overheard in the background, home from school and hanging with Nana, and yelled on the top of her lungs, "Doctor Callie is coming!?" over Barbara's laughing she heard, "Awesome! I didn't even get to see her last time, Aunty Na hogged her."

Arizona's eyes were wide and she prayed Callie couldn't hear this through her phone. She was leaning against the sink staring at her nails, thankfully seeming not to.

Now Ella thought she was coming. Really, damn her mother and her amazing lasagna.

Barbara's voice came over the phone, "Oh, honey, you should see her, she's so excited."

Arizona closed her eyes and counted to five, "Will Dad be there?"

Her mothers voice changed, "Ah-no. He's staying in."

Still avoiding her and Toby, then. Lovely. At least that was one less mess to introduce Callie too.

"Sure, I'll ask her. Tell Ella not to get her hopes up, she might be busy."

"She sounds like the kind of girl who'll drop everything for you, but whatever, sweetie. I'll see you at Ti-your place." A slight hiccup, one they tried to glaze over, "I'll bring Ella over and meet you and Toby around five thirty. Tell Callie six sharp, Ella and I will start the food prep here."

"Yes, Ma."

"Love you."

"Love you, too, mom."

She hung up the phone and slipped it in to her pocket. Callie looked up at her, "That sounded, um, fun?"

Arizona laughed, "Parents."

"Tel me about it." Callie rolled her eyes, all the while looking like a teenager yet in her thirties. What parents could do to an adult.

"Ah, Mom is cooking at my place tonight, with the kids, lasagna. She asked if you wanted to join."

Callie's eyebrows raised, "Oh. Uh-are you okay with that?"

Arizona's eyes widened-could this woman be any more thoughtful, "Um, sure, Ella heard, she's incredibly excited. She'll talk your ear off about how her cast is coming off in a few weeks."

"A week, actually."

"That flew by."

Callie nodded, "Yeah. I, uh, I'd love to join, tonight." Her smile lit up the darkened scrub room.

Arizona tried to school her features, "Super." She smiled, "Six?"

"Sounds great." Callie laughed suddenly, leaning forward to grab a fistful of Arizona's scrub shirt and tug her onto her. Arizona wrapped her arms around her neck, leaning against her,"You can get that look of your face, Arizona. It's just lasagna."

Arizona smiled sheepishly, "Sorry. It's lasagna that involves my mother and hanging at my house and-"

"I don't have to come." Callie interrupted, "If it's going to make your complicated little head explode, I'll just go get drunk with Mark at Joes and talk his ear off about this _totally_ hot paeds attending I'm seeing."

Arizona laughed, relaxing in to Callie and dropping a kiss to her lips, "No. It's fine-complicated, like you said. Come. Ella would be incredibly disappointed if you didn't."

Callie smiled, leaning forward, lips barely touching Arizona's, "Just Ella?" She murmured.

Arizona grinned slyly, "Maybe my mom, too."

Callie actually pouted, "Mean."

"Fine." Arizona rolled her eyes, "I'd miss you, too."

Callie grinned, "I knew it."

She kissed her, once, hard, then pulled back, eyes wide, "Shit. I'm meeting your mother."

Arizona raised her eyes, face smug, "My point exactly."

She laughed at Callie, who was suddenly staring straight ahead, looking mortified.

"At least there'll be lasagna."

####

Arizona actually managed to be at home at five, having a full half an hour at home alone with Toby before the house got invaded. She was trying to swallow down her conflicted feelings, figuring she wouldn't feel this way if Teddy was coming over for dinner.

It wasn't like her and Callie would start a romp on the table.

She eyed the spacious dining room table when that occurred to her and had a lot of trouble quelling thought of a half naked Callie spread over it.

She read books with Toby, enjoying having some quiet one on one time that wasn't at the daycare. He revelled in it, leaning back on her, pointing delightedly at every page, rounding his lips and saying, "Oo!" at everything.

"Oo! Na! Oo!"

Then, at five thirty, the tornado that was her mother, the amazing smell of pre cooked sauce and an incredibly over excited Ella swept in to the house.

The lasagna was thrown together and in the oven, only needing twenty minutes to cook with all the pre cooking that had been done. Barbara was pouring them both a very large wine, eyeing Arizona with a, "Here, you need this." when she saw the look on her face. Arizona took a long gulp and instantly felt a little better.

Arizona got to chopping a salad under her mothers orders, grateful someone else was directing dinner. Without the option of going out to eat every second or so night, she had discovered why parents complained about having to cook dinner every single night that a fussy toddler and seven year old would eat.

It was incredibly tedious.

Ella was floating around like a very cute, but bad, smell.

"When's Doctor Callie getting here?"

Arizona, for the fifth time, looked at the clock, "In about fifteen minutes. Three minutes less than when you asked me the last time."

Ella clung to the bench with her finger tips, taking the carrot Arizona held out and jamming it in her mouth, talking while she chewed, ruining Arizona's hope it would quieten her for a few minutes, "Is she staying for all of dinner?"

Arizona actually laughed, "Yes, Ella Bella. She's not going to get up and leave half way through."

"How long now?"

Arizona thought her eye may actually have twitched. Barbara, sensing seven year old annoyance, held out an armful of plates, "Set the table, please, miss Ella."

Ella nodded, grasping at the plates, walking in to the dining room and talking a mile a minute, not eve noticing no one was listening.

Arizona let out a deep breath and took another long gulp of wine as the oven dinged. Barbara chuckled to herself, pulling on oven mits and taking out the lasagna.

"You were so much like her."

Arizona rolled her eyes, cutting cucumber.

"You were. You could be incredibly introspective and closed like she can, then there were the moments your father and I considered muzzling you for five minutes of silence."

"Gee, thanks, Mom."

"Well, it's true."

Arizona put the last touches on the salad, drizzling over some dressing. She kept her eyes on it as she poured, "I miss dad, Mom."

She felt her mom tense behind her. A moments silence rang around them, the only sound was Toby smashing blocks against each other under the kitchen table.

"I do, too, honey."

Arizona nodded, capping off the bottle,"He won't look at me." She leant on the bench to sight Toby, under the table they normally ate at and oblivious to the conversation, "Or Toby."

"He doesn't know how to do this." Barbara's voice was tight, "He, just-he-"

She couldn't finished and Arizona turned to see her Mother completely welled up. _Shit_.

She stepped forward and wrapped her arms around her mother, rubbing her back as her mother curled in to her for a moment, "I'm sorry, Mom."

Barbara shook her head against her shoulder, then stepped back, sniffing and wiping at her eyes, "No, I"m sorry. He's hard, at the moment. Hard to be around."

Arizona nodded. Had her brother foreseen he'd be like that? One of the many reasons he'd left her in this position?

"Come here whenever you need, Mom. Or take the kids. They love sleepovers with you, and they used to do it at least once a fortnight."

"Back to their routine. It might be good for them."

Arizona grinned, "That and you love having them there."

"Of course."

Ella burst back into the room, "Doctor Callies here! Doctor Callie's here! I saw her car! Doctor Callie's here!"

"inside voice, Ella." Barbara scolded gently, turning to the lasagna.

Ella stage whispered, "Doctor Callie is here!"

Toby, picking up on excitement, ran around the kitchen bench and stood looking at them all with wide blue eyes.

"Okay, when the door bell rings, you may answer it. _But_," Arizona yelled after her as she bolted from the room, "Ask who it is!"

Toby wavered and fell on to his diapered bottom, the whirlwind that was Ella too much for him to try and focus on as he followed her too quickly with his head, his body not keeping up and he lost his balance. Toby blinked at his Aunty and Nana in surprise then grinned, giggling.

Arizona smiled, walking forward and picking him up on to her hip, "You're a dork, Tobes."

She handed him a piece of tomato he'd undoubtedly smear everywhere, kissing his cheek and plopping him back on the ground. He ran after his big sister, hand squashing the whole piece of tomato into his mouth.

The doorbell rang and they heard Ella yell, "Who is it!" while wrenching the door open at the same time.

"Ella, it's not effective if you open the door before they even hear the question let alone answer!" Arizona called out.

"Doctor Callie!" Ella squealed.

"I wouldn't bother, Arizona."

Arizona rolled her eyes and grabbed a sip of wine, turning as she heard Toby's feet pattering on the tile as he ran back in and reached up for her, eyes anxious.

Arizona tried not to laugh as she heard Barbara chuckle behind her, "Oh, Tobes. Did you follow your sister and see a stranger in the hallway?"

He looked from her to back the way he came, and pointed in the direction, whole body arched in to the motion, "El!"

"She's not a stranger, you met her the other day. Let's investigate, shall we?"

She could hear the quieter sounds of Callie' voice and the louder, excitable one of Ella's. Toby pointed the entire way, showing her where to go.

"Are they out here Toby?"

He nodded once, face serious.

They rounded the corner to see Ella literally hanging off Callie, pointing to all the new writing and drawing on her cast. Kids had started to just draw over what was already there. Callie looked up, nodding to what Ella was saying, grinning up under her lashes at Arizona.

She felt Toby still in her arms as her smile hit them both full forced and realised this woman was going to have them all under her spell if she wasn't careful.

Callie mouthed a 'hi' and Arizona waved her fingers.

"It's Callie, Tobes."

Ella looked up from her cast, "_Doctor_ Callie, Aunty Na."

Callie laughed, "Yeah, Aunty Na. _Doctor_ Callie."

Arizona rolled her eyes, "My mistake." She looked at Toby's face, laughing as he stared openly at Callie, mouth slightly parted. She looked back to Ella, "Hey Ella Bella, fairly certain you didn't finish setting the table."

Ella looked up, "But I _did_."

Arizona raised an eyebrow at her, "Glasses? And cutlery? Toby's cup and your princess glass?"

Ella looked sheepish, "Um..."

"Scoot, missy. Callie's here for all of dinner."

Ella sighed and looked up at Callie, "Excuse me, Doctor Callie, I'll be back."

And she ran off.

Callie actually laughed, watching her go before looking back to Arizona, "You know, she has a lot of you in her."

Arizona rolled her eyes, "Don't you start."

Callie looked at Toby, who was still staring at her, wide eyed, "Hey again, Toby. I like your shoes."

He looked down at his shoes, tiny velcro do ups that lit up in the soles when he walked. He kicked his feet against Arizona's thigh then looked back to Callie. He suddenly grinned, pointing down to his shoes, "Na!"

He stared at them for a second, leg held out and still pointing then looked back to Callie, still grinning.

"Aunty Na got them for you? Spoilt boy."

He grinned then wriggled, and Arizona put him down, both watching him. He clung to her hand with one of his own tiny ones and jumped, a motion he couldn't quite do without something to hold on to. He squealed as his shoes lit up, pointing to them and looking up at Callie.

Callie clapped her hands, "How cool, Toby!"

Toby laughed, then let go of Arizona's hand and turned and ran, giggling and disappearing in to the kitchen.

"Where on Earth is he going?"

"He has the attention span of a gnat. Who knows." Arizona laughed.

"At least he liked me this time."

"He's a smart man, he suss's a lady out first."

"Wonder where he gets that from."

Arizona rolled her eyes again, "Whatever. Hi, by the way."

Callie grinned and stepped forward, holding out a bottle of red, "Hey, Here." She hovered a minute, and they smiled softly at each other as they both pondered a kiss but both leant back instead, standing barely a foot apart.

"Later." Arizona whispered and Callie's eyes lit up.

There was no way Callie could stay, or _that_ could happen. But that didn't mean Arizona wasn't going to abuse some boundaries, now Callie was here.

Arizona smiled, "Ready to meet my mother?"

Callie's eyes widened, "Sure."

"Your voice always that high pitched?"

"Shut up."

Laughing, she led the way in to the kitchen, Barbara cutting up lasagna in the pan. She looked up and smiled when they walked in to the room.

"Mom, this is Callie. Callie, this is my Mom, Barbara."

Barbara wiped her hands on a teatowel and walked forwards.

"Nice to meet you, Mrs Robbins."

Barbara stopped in front of her, grinning, and wrapped her in a hug. Arizona winced, but smiled at Callie as she caught her eye over the womans shoulder, hand awkwardly on her back. Barbara pulled back, "Call me Barbara. Lovely to meet you Callie. I've heard a lot about you."

Arizona flushed and rolled her eyes. She hadn't spoken of Callie that much, Ella more giving away details without knowing she was doing it and Barbara prying information out of her.

Callie grinned, looking at Arizona's red face and back to Barbara, "I hope it's all good."

"You fixed my grand daughters arm, of course it's all good. And you got my daughter out of the house."

"Okay!" Arizona interrupted, clapping her hands together, "How about we eat? Callie brought over an amazing red, Mom. Would you like a glass? I might stick with white."

Arizona successfully got them all moving, rolling her eyes at her mother who just shrugged at her and grinned.

They got them all settled, Ella at her place, who insisted on sitting next to 'Doctor Callie'. Arizona wrested Toby into his high chair on her right so she could help him eat when needed, the little boy trying to hold his foot out for Callie to admire his shoe the entire time. He kept kicking it against the leg of the chair and yelling a nonsensical word, making sure everyone acknowledged it lighting up.

Arizona was regretting buying those shoes.

Ella dominated most of the conversation, Toby thankfully discovering a love for lasagna and digging in with his spoon and hands, mostly distracted from his shoe.

In between Ella's chattering, Barbara questioned Callie without even trying to hide that that was what she was doing.

"So, Callie, where did you grow up?"

Callie looked from Toby who was again pointing at his shoe, "Yeah, Tobes, they're really cool." She took a sip of wine, "I grew up in Miami."

"Wow, so much sun. What did your parents do."

"Mom."

Callie laughed as Barbara ignored Arizona, "My father owns a chain of hotels, my Mom, well, she's involved in a lot of charity work and things."

"Oh, so you had a stay at home mom, too?" Barbara puffed up, always proud that she had stayed home with her kids.

Callie actually laughed, "Oh, no. We had nannies. Mom was surprisingly busy for someone with no job."

Barbara nodded, "My best friend grew up with the same nanny her whole life. She still sees her and her family on Christmas Eve."

Callie nodded fondly, "Aria and my sister had one each when we were little, but then when she was five and I was six we had just one, Brigetta. Aria couldn't say it, so she ended up with Brig. I still send her cards every birthday and christmas."

"How lovely."

Arizona loved her completely non judgemental mother in that moment.

Callie got pulled back in to conversation with Ella, and Arizona glanced at Toby, who had managed to get lasagna sauce in his hair. She went to reach over and wipe it off, then thought better, figuring she would just have to be doing it all over again at the end of the meal.

They got through desert with idle chatter and Barbara stood up and started clearing dishes, waving away Arizona and Callie's attempts to help and instead enlisting Ella, who joined in with only minor grumbling.

Arizona grinned across the table at Callie, sipping at her second glass of wine.

"Welcome to my crazy world." She said it as a joke, but there was a hint of seriousness to it she hid. Did Callie really know what she was getting herself in to?

Callie grinned, "They're adorable."

"Na!" Toby hit his spoon against his plastic bowl, which he'd turned over on his high chair top.

Arizona smiled at him, "Time to clean you up, little man."

"No." His little face scrunched up, eyebrows pushed together and Arizona heard Callie hold back a snort of laughter.

Arizona reached forward and poked his side, "No?" She asked playfully.

He wriggled, laughing, "No!"

She stood up, "I'll be right back, Callie."

She left Callie playing with Toby's shoe, which he had just remembered about, and walked into the kitchen. She smiled at the site of her mother elbow deep in suds and Ella standing on a footstool chatting to her, doing her best to dry the dishes.

"Working hard, Ella Bella?"

Ella nodded, "Nana's telling me about how when you were little, you were just like me."

Arizona laughed, grabbing a cloth from the drawer and squeezing between the two to run it under the tap, "Is that so? It seems to be the theme of the evening."

Barbara laughed, "Well, your influence is making it more prevalent." Barbara stepped back to the sink when Arizona moved out the way, calling after her, "Callie's lovely, by the way."

"Thanks, Mom." Arizona figured if she didn't give it attention her mother would leave it.

"Doctor Callie is cool, not _lovely_, Nana."

"Right, sorry."

Arizona walked back into the dining room to find Toby on Callie's lap, happily playing with the pendant around her neck. He'd settled right back in to her arms, little legs draped over hers.

"He got fidgetty, I hope that's okay."

Arizona smiled, "Of course."

She squatted down next to Callie's chair, surprise cleaning Toby's face, the only way to get him clean. She quickly cleaned his hands and at that point he was a squirming mess, sliding off Callie's lap and running to the living room to his toys.

Callie laughed as he ran off, watching his little shoes light up.

"He really does look like you. It's uncanny."

Arizona smiled softly, still squatting, hands resting on Callie's thigh, "He looks like Tim. People really did confuse us for twins."

Callie ran her hand through Arizona's hair, "Would it be weird to say I wish I could have met him?"

Arizona leant her chin on her hand, "No. I think he would have really liked you."

The dining room door to the kitchen swung open and Arizona stood bolt up right, taking a step back from Callie, Ella walking in and noticing nothing.

"It's not a school night Aunty Na, can Doctor Callie stay and watch a DVD with us?"

Arizona looked to Callie with eyebrows raised in question. Callie was smiling. She looked back to Ella, who was looking at her with wide eyes, a perfect puppy dog face on her features, "Please, Aunty Na?"

She looked back to Callie, who was mimicking Ella's face, "Pleeease, Arizona?"

Arizona laughed and threw her hands up, "There's no way I can compete with the power of those two looks combined. If Callie would like to stay for a movie, she's more than welcome."

"Yay! I'll go pick, you put Toby to bed." Ella bolted off.

"Yes, ma'am." Arizona rolled her eyes after her niece, turning back to Callie who was laughing, "Did you like how she asked you in the end?"

"And told you to get Toby to bed."

"She's lucky she's cute."

"Like her Aunt."

Arizona smirked, "You really are good a smooth talking."

"You make it easy."

"See!"

Callie chuckled and leaned back in her chair, "Is DVD night a Friday night tradition?"

"Yeah, we watch Disney and get hopped up on ice cream once Toby's asleep." Arizona bit her lip, "Really, Callie. You don't have to stay."

Callie looked shocked, "Are you kidding? Ice cream and Disney. You better hope Ella and I leave you space on the couch."

Callie stood up, grabbing Toby's bowl to take in to the kitchen, "You heard Ella, get your nephew in to bed." She winked and walked the dishes out.

Rolling her eyes, Arizona had a terrible feeling this could start a small tradition of being ganged up on. She walked into the living room and scooped up Toby, leaning him down for Ella to kiss goodnight. She did the same for Barbara and Callie in the kitchen, grabbed him a bottle and headed up the stairs. She chatted to him as she changed him, getting him cosy and dimming the lights.

He was settled in his cot easily, bottle to his mouth, eyes getting the drunk look Arizona found she loved.

She came downstairs to Callie and Ella on the couch, Ella firmly in the middle with Callie on one side, both with a ridiculously giant bowl of ice cream on their laps. Callie shrugged at her and took a bite.

"What? Your mom served them."

Barbara walked out in that moment, pulling on her coat, "Alright lovelies, I'm off."

Arizona looked at her, taking the proffered bowl of ice cream, "You're not staying for Disney, Mom?" Her mother normally stayed for the DVD, enjoying the quiet time with Ella and Arizona.

Barbara tried to hide a smirk and her eyes flicked from Arizona to Callie and back again, "Uh-I have some, paperwork to do at home. You girls have fun though."

Arizona eyed her as she gave her a quick kiss, "Mhm. Paperwork?"

Barbara nodded, walking over to get a huge cuddle from Ella, "Oh, yeah. Paperwork. Mountains of it."

Arizona didn't believe her. "Sure, mom. Thanks so much for dinner."

Barbara wasn't even attempting to extract Ella's arms from around her neck, instead blowing a raspberry on the girls neck to get her giggling, "No problem, left overs in the fridge."

Callie put her ice cream down and stood up, holding out her hand, "It was so lovely meeting you, Barbara. Thank you for dinner."

Barbara pushed away the hand and gave her a hug, Callie less awkward than before, "It was _delightful_ meeting you, Callie." Barbara stepped back waved to the room, "Enjoy your DVD, I'll see you over the weekend, my girls."

And she disappeared.

Her mother failed at subtle.

Rolling her eyes, Arizona took a spoonful of ice cream, looking at the two on the couch.

"So, what did we go for?"

Ella bounced in her seat, "Nemo!"

"Ah, good choice."

"Doctor Callie chose. Come sit next to me, Aunty Na." Arizona sat, settling back in to the couch, "I get to sit next to _both_ of you!"

Ella was utterly delighted.

Turning her head to catch Callie's eye, who was smirking, leaning back on the couch as well, Arizona tried not to laugh, "You're lucky, hey. You going to press play?"

Ella grabbed the remote and hit play, the movie starting, oblivious to what she sat between.

They made it almost to Nemo being caught in the fishing net before Ella succumbed to sleep, curled in to Callie's side under a blanket.

They let the movie play out, both more invested than they would admit, before Arizona lifted her up, far too big for it, but managing anyway, and carrying her upstairs to bed. She tucked her up with her favourite panda and closed the door part way, checking the time on her watch. It was only nine thirty and she kind of felt like yawning.

She padded down the stairs, knowing she had been over reacting to being so worried about Callie coming over, nothing about their situation traditional, but still unable to completely chase her worries away.

She smiled as she walked in, two glasses of wine now on the coffee table and Callie leaning back into the couch, a leg pulled up under her, head propped up as she leant on the back of the couch with her elbow.

"That's a site for sore eyes."

Callie chuckled, leaning forward to grab their glasses, handing Arizona the white, which she accepted gratefully, settling in to the couch herself, pulling a leg under her, knee pressed to Callie's.

"Cheers."

They clinked their glasses together and drunk.

Callie rest her wine glass on her knee, "You're awesome, with them, you know?" Arizona looked at her slightly puzzled, and Callie continued, "They love you, a lot. You're awesome with them. I just thought you should know that."

Arizona smiled, "Thank you." She said softly. Taking compliments about a role she doubted herself in constantly was not something she found easy.

Callie leant forward and put her glass back on the coffee table, "Want to know a secret?"

Arizona grinned, putting her own glass down, "Always."

"I own Finding Nemo. And a whole lot of other kids movies." Arizona laughed, delighted at the random revelation, "When you asked me that night to watch a DVD that wasn't kiddy, I lied-Mark hadn't borrows most of my DVD's, it was just that they were mostly kids ones. I love them."

Arizona was still chuckling, "That's hilarious. I never watched them, until now. I used to watch the odd one with Ella, when I visited. Now I can recite some of them."

"I can sing almost every Disney song."

Arizona leant forward, her hand resting on Callie's knee, "Dear God, don't do that here or Ella will end up with a flaming crush on you and everyone will blame the gay Aunty's influence."

Callie looked insulted, "Uh, no, she would crush on me because I'm awesome, it has nothing to do with you."

"This conversation is getting weird."

Callie laughed, hand resting over Arizona's, playing with her fingers, "Yeah, it is." She looked up at Arizona under her lashes, "It's getting kind late, I suppose, especially for someone who has to get up to kids in the morning. And I'm on call tomorrow."

Arizona nodded, edging forward, "Yeah, it is getting a bit late."

Callie was grinning, moving towards Arizona, "I should head off."

Arizona nodded, reaching to pull Callie forward, hands gripping at her tailored shirt, "You really should."

They collided, half giggling, half moaning into the kiss. Callie pressed forward, Arizona following her lead and falling back against the couch, Callie going with her. Their legs settled between each other comfortably, their bodies after all the sessions in the hospital, knowing how to fit together. Callie's hand was brushing against her cheek, something gentle in the touch that made Arizona's stomach ache. The feel of Callie's tongue, her lips against her own, had Arizona almost dizzy.

She could fall in to this woman.

It was almost frightening, how easy she found it. How they had not only this chemistry, but an amazing ability to talk about nothing, or everything. To chat, and laugh, and just be near each other.

Arizona trusted her, the realisation dawning on her as Callie's hand slid softly from her cheek, fingers stroking at her neck.

Arizona had trusted Callie instinctively, not something she usually did lightly.

She pushed her lips harder against Callie, an upswelling of emotion in her chest making her seek more. Fingers trailed over her collarbone, the touch raising goosebumps. Arizona's leg wrapped around Callie's, holding them closer together. When Callie's hand slid down and up and under her shirt, stroking the skin at her hip, Arizona's hips rolled out of her control against her and she moaned. Callie's lips were teasing her jaw, pressing to her neck. That hand was against her breast over her bra and Arizona's head fell back, back of her own hand falling over her mouth to muffle another groan.

She felt Callie push at her shirt, felt a hand pull the cup of her bra aside in one smooth motion and Arizona actually bit her hand when Callie's hot breath washed over her nipple, her tongue pressed against her. The hand not ensuring she didn't wake any children wrapped into Callie's hair, urging her on and making sure she didn't move from what she was doing. Teeth grazed against her and Arizona was _sure_ that Callie Torres was someone she could lose herself in.

She couldn't believe it.

She felt Callie still against her.

The sound of a half asleep, waking up toddler drifted down the stairs. Indistinct, not at the demanding point he reached by the time Arizona usually woke or got to him other nights, but starting.

Callie dropped her forehead heavily against Arizona's chest, a dry laugh escaping her lips, "This one's your fault."

Arizona nodded, "Yup. This ones on me."

Callie lifted her head and Arizona actually bit her lip, she looked that incredible, her lips bruised, eyes dark and face flushed. Callie groaned and dropped her head back down.

"Don't do that."

Arizona was, understandably, confused, "Do what?"

"Bite your lip like that, all fucking sexy. You do it at work sometimes when you look at me and it's hard enough to ignore it there, let alone like this."

Arizona was grinning, "Well, don't look at me all drop dead gorgeous and frustrated."

Callie lifted her head back up, smiling, "We're kind of stuffed, you know. I just can't think straight around you."

Arizona raised her eyebrows, "Obviously."

Callie laughed and sat up, helping Arizona tug her shirt down. The disgruntled noises upstairs were starting to get a touch more persistent. Sitting up, Arizona kissed Callie, hands holding her cheeks, trying to keep it chaste.

"He can take a little while to settle."

"I should go, like we said before." Arizona tried to resist the urge to pout as Callie continued, "If I stay, well. You seem hesitant, with the kids around, and still a little unsure of everything?" She hurried on, linking her hand with Arizona's, fingers entwining, "I may be wrong. But like I said, that's okay. I know your life is complicated. I'm okay with that."

"Even if we keep getting interrupted by babies?" Arizona was smiling, not knowing how Callie always knew what to say, to have an intuitive idea of where her head was at. Arizona barely knew where it was at, sometimes.

"We get interrupted by pagers, and mobiles and stupid burly residents. What's a baby, in all that?"

As if to challenge that statement, Toby made a squawking noise for attention, and they both laughed.

Callie stood up and pulled Arizona up next to her, Arizona not letting go of her hand as she led the way to the door. They hovered in the open door way, pressing kisses to each others lips. Just as Callie deepened one, Toby got a bit louder.

Callie stepped back.

Arizona smiled at her, "Sorry."

"Never be." Callie grinned at her, "Thanks for a fun Friday."

Arizona smiled at her as she started the walk to her car, closing the door and turning to walk up the stairs. She pushed Toby's door open, walking towards him, sitting up in his cot, hair dishevelled and face tears stained.

"Little man, look at you." She leant down and scooped him up, loving the way he reached for her and buried his head into her neck. She sat in the old rocking chair, rubbing his back as he hiccupped quietly, soothing him back to sleep, "You know, you only do this once or twice a week, now. So nice timing, Tobes." She kept her voice low, in soothing tones. He snuffled against her neck and she smiled, he was adorable when sleepy, cuddly.

"When you're older, and understand these implications," Arizona rubbed his back in circles, feeling him start drift off, "I'm going to get you back so badly. Sixteen year old you won't know what hit you."

She sat with him a long time after he fell asleep, his presence a comfort, the warm weight of him secure.


	13. Chapter 13

**Title: **Changes  
**Author: **gabs88  
**Pairing: **Callie/Arizona  
**Summary: **When Arizona's brother dies in a car crash with his wife, she is named guardian of his two children. What does this mean for the life of someone who never wanted her own kids, let alone anyone elses?  
**Rating: **T  
**Disclaimer: **All characters belong to ABC/Shonda Rhimes.  
**Note: **So many suspicions...it's like you guys think I like to throw in some angst or something? ;)

Thankyou so much for such ongoing feedback, it's all such a pleasure to read through-you guys are all so motivating!

**Changes  
Chapter Thirteen**

Arizona had a headache. Toby was being clingy, and Ella had been, well, acting like a precocious seven year old since Arizona had picked her up from her mothers. Arizona had ran late, and when she finally got there Ella was sulking and Barbara had fairly happily handed her over with a roll of her eyes and a smirk.

She'd had the day from hell, losing a fifteen year old in the OR in the morning, a case there was no hope in post a MVA. Herself, Kepner and Hunt (called in for his expertise) working their asses off for hours with no hope.

Arizona had only gotten to see Callie for twenty minutes at lunch, then been snowed under with paperwork and had to get Toby as the doors were literally closing at daycare. She'd had to sit him in her office while she sludged through it all, texting her mother and asking her to feed Ella if she wouldn't mind and she'd be there as soon as she could. Her mothers reply had been the highlight of her day, a statement to the days overall badness, really.

_Of course I'll feel fella, take your wine._

Her eyebrows rode up as Toby tried to crawl up her legs, the phone on her desk rang incessantly and the paperwork pile in front of her swayed precariously.

Her phone beeped again.

_Feed Ella! Take your time! What is wrong with this damn thing?_

Arizona had snorted a laugh as Toby made a whining noise, her phone started ringing again and a ward clarke brought in a file and put it on her desk with an apologetic smile. She took in a deep breath and pinched the bridge of her nose as Toby stamped his little feet and held his arms up, looking three seconds from a tantrum.

"Okay, Tobes, you can sit on my lap but you have to be still, okay?"

Grinning triumphantly as she swung him on to her lap, he immediately threw himself forward and grabbed at the paper she'd been signing, scrunching it up in his hands.

"Tobes, no. C'mon, little man."

She pulled his hand back and plopped him back on the ground, where he proceeded to blink at her in suprise and then start crying.

It was an incredibly long hour and a half in her office with the sixteen month old.

Arizona finally got them all home, cheated and fed Toby cheerios for dinner, which he proceeded to refuse to eat, crunching them in his hands at the dinner table while Ella sulked at the end and threatened mutiny against her.

"I want ice cream."

Arizona tried to force a mouthful in to Toby, who clamped his mouth shut and glared at her in the way only a toddler could, "Elle, you had ice cream at Nana's, it's eight o'clock and way past both your bed times."

"Yeah, well, you picked me up late."

Arizona gave up and dumped the spoon next to the bowl, which Toby proceeded to push away with both hands. He arched his back, trying to force his way out of the high chair, "Go hungry, then Toby, that's fine." Arizona looked to Ella, "I know I was late, I was held up at work Ella. That doesn't mean you get extra ice cream."

"Whatever." Ella stood up, actual tears in her eyes, red face, and turned to walk out. Arizona leant back in her chair, confused.

"Ella Bella, what's up?" She called after the girls retreating back.

Ella didn't even turn around, "Nothing!"

Arizona rarely heard the little girl yell.

Arizona looked back to Toby, who was staring at her with wide eyes, hands to the safety belt over his lap trying to prise it open.

"Something's definitely up."

Toby then threw up all over the high chair tray and Arizona's lap.

Arizona closed her eyes and literally counted down from ten.

Toby's crying started at seven. She let herself get to zero before she pulled patience from a place she didn't know she had.

"Okay, Tobes. Let's clean you up." She looked down at herself, "And me."

Arizona got him into the tub, and threw on a pair of clean track pants. Toby sat in the warm water miserably, staring at her with huge eyes and looking all the picture of a nauseated little boy. She cleaned him up and wiped his flushed cheeks, pulling him out of the bath wrapped in the warmest, fluffiest towel she could find with only one more throwing up incident.

Now she thought about it, he had been a little warm when she'd picked him up from daycare, too distracted at the time to pay it much mind. Guilt played in her stomach. She bundled him in to a clean diaper and a grow suit, sitting in the chair and patting his back as he made unhappy little grunting and snuffling noises. His cheeks were now bright red and he had diamond tears glistening on his eyelashes. Arizona brushed his hair off his forehead, feeling how warm his skin was. She gnawed her lip as she rocked him gently: he was hot, but not incredibly so. Her guess, which she figured almost counted as a diagnosis being a paediatric surgeon and all, was tummy flu.

He settled eventually and she put him down, popping his pacifier, not used for over a week, into his mouth, no bottle there to sooth him. He went down fitfully, and she didn't think it would be very long before he woke again.

Arizona looked down at him, empathy for his state and exhaustion mixing in an interesting fashion. She just wanted to go to bed, pull the covers over her head and only reappear for sips of wine.

She wanted to do that with a naked Callie next to her.

None of that was going to happen right now.

God, her life, their relationship, this night, everything kind of felt impossible.

A headache clawed behind her eyes. She didn't want to feel irritated at either of the kids, Toby sick and not able to help it, Ella unhappy about something and acting out the only way she could.

She didn't _want_ to feel that at them, but she did. She'd had a long day herself. She wanted to be looked after, to be handed a glass of wine and dragged to bed, not to have to do it the other way around.

She walked through to her room, grabbing her phone and seeing a text from Callie, a small smile playing on her lips.

_Missed you today, hope your day got better since I saw you x_

Arizona sighed and tapped a quick reply.

_Definitely not better. Have been yelled at by the Ella Monster and thrown up on by a toddler. All is not well in the Robbins house. Literally._

She hit send and went to find Ella, who had firmly shut her door when Arizona had carried Toby upstairs.

She knocked, "Ella Bella?"

There was no reply. Arizona pushed the door open, and felt her stomach clench when she saw it was empty.

Where had she gone?

Her eyes flicked wildly around the room, seeing no sign of Ella, taking in her curtains fluttering, the mess.

She heard the toilet flush and felt her body relax, not realising her nails were digging into the palms of her hands as anxiety pulsed through her body for a mere five seconds, adrenaline acting quick enough to have her heart racing and her mouth go dry.

She walked down the hallway, then heard the sound of horrible retching.

She paused for a second and screwed her eyes shut, genuinely wondering if she was cut out for all of this.

Arizona got to the bathroom door and paused for a second to see Ella hunched over the toilet, tiny palms gripping the rim as she heaved. She looked ridiculously small for that position.

"Oh, Ella." Arizona murmured.

She walked forward and pulled Ella's strawberry blond curls up behind her neck, feeling the clammy skin as her fingers brushed it. She tucked it into the back of the little girls nightgown, getting a wash cloth as Ella threw up again, wetting it under cool water then squatting down next to her, resting it on the back of Ella's neck.

"Aunty Na." She whimpered.

Arizona rubbed her back soothingly, "I know chicken."

Ella turned her head slightly, tears on her flushed cheeks, lower lip quivering, "I feel sick." She said it utterly miserably, voice croaky.

Arizona smiled sadly at her, "I know, Ella Bella."

She gagged once but nothing came up, "Aunty Na." She whispered, not looking up from the toilet bowl now.

"Yeah?"

"I want Mommy and Daddy." Her voice was hoarse, cracking over the words.

Arizona's heart broke, and she pulled the little girl into her arms. Ella wrapped herself into her, flushed face pressed in to her neck as Arizona rubbed her hand up and down her back as her shoulders shuddered while she sobbed.

"I f-feel yucky and Mommy w-would always make it better." The words came out broken between sobs.

Arizona slowly fell back against the wall, pulling Ella with her so she lay against her chest. She pulled her into her like she would Toby, finding her not too big for it at all, really.

They sat there until Ella's sobs slowed down. Arizona resting her chin on the top of her head, rocking her back and forth gently, humming one of the only songs she remembered Barbara singing to her when she was little. Ella's hand gripped Arizona's shirt over her heart, heat radiating from her.

When she finally spoke again, it was a whisper, "That's what Daddy used to sing to me when I was sick."

Arizona paused mid rock, the hum dying in her throat.

"Don't stop." Ella pressed her damp face into her shirt, "I miss it."

Arizona started the tune again softly, feeling her eyes well up, her own cheek damp, and she pressed it against Ella's hair, not ceasing her rocking.

Two sick little children, both wanting their parents.

Parents know how to make everything better when you're sick.

Something occurred to Arizona, and she wasn't sure if it was really a good idea or not. Ella was still shuddering with the odd sob, her face hot against Arizona's skin.

Ella wanted her parents, and only had Arizona instead. Arizona didn't know what to offer to fix any of it. Standing up awkwardly, she hefted Ella with her. Normally something the little girl would giggle at, she just wrapped her arms around Arizona's neck and whimpered.

Arizona walked them out to the hallway, then hovered outside the door for a second, before struggling to reach a hand awkwardly out from under the weight of Ella. She turned the knob and let the door swing slowly open.

Tim and Sally's room was cast in shadow, the blinds left open, the street light outside throwing a tiny amount of light in to the room. The walk in wardrobe door to the right was partly open, left in a hurry to get dressed for a dinner they never made. The bed was tidy, pristine, a habit Tim had never broken from their child hood and his army days. There was a lonely shoe on the floor, a heel. The roof was angled down over the bed, something Arizona suddenly had a strong memory about.

_Her phone was ringing incessantly in her pocket. Arizona was desperately trying to get some sleep in an on call room, three days straight at the hospital in her residence starting to get to her. She pretended not to hear it._

_Unable to ignore the third call, she pulled her phone out and glared at her brothers name flashing on the screen._

_"Tim, seriously? Do you know what time it is?"_

_"It's only four in the afternoon."_

_"Do you know what time it is in doctor world?"_

_"Suck it up." _

_Arizona finally clued in to the panic in her brothers voice. She sat up on her slightly, her elbow under her taking her weight._

_"Is everything okay?"_

_"Uh-no. I fail at parenting and Sally is going to murder me."_

_Arizona blurrily scrunched her eyebrows together, "What now?"_

_"So, I was dancing and singing with Ella-"_

_Arizona snickered at the image of her army brother doing that._

_"Haha I'm a softy. Shut up. Focus. I had her on our bed, and the stupid roof slopes down over it, something Sally loved when we bought the place, and I may have encouraged Ella to bounce and she may hit her head. Hard."_

_Arizona fell back against the bed. Seriously, if it wasn't bad enough to warrant an immediate 911 call her brother was most likely over reacting._

_"Is she bleeding?"_

_"No."_

_"Did she black out?"_

_"No."_

_"Screaming? Crying?"_

_"At first. Now she's watching Elmo."_

_"She unsteady? Any more so than a normal two year old?"_

_"No."_

_"Vomiting? Staring weirdly at things?"_

_"No."_

_"She's fine. Keep an eye on her. Any of that happens, take her to the ER."_

_She heard Tim let out a long breath on the phone, a habit they seemed to share, "You sure?"_

_Arizona threw an arm over her eyes, "Well, I can't see her, but she sounds okay."_

_"Okay. Now. The important part: can I hide this from Sally?"_

_"How bad's the bump?"_

_"Size of an egg."_

_Arizona laughed, "Poor Ella. Probably not."_

_"Shit."_

_"Shush. Your daughter will hear you, you don't want to corrupt her as well as give her permanent brain damage."_

_"Brain damage?!"_

_"Tim. Calm. I'm giving you shit. She's fine. Besides, she totally rolled off the changing table when she was a baby and Sally called me in the same state. You two can be on even grounds now."_

_"She did?"_

_"She did. And a million other parents have done what you two have done. You're doing fine."_

_"Sometimes I have no idea what I'm doing."_

_Arizona laughed wryly, "I think that's how all parents feel.."_

_"You ever going to join the ranks?"_

_"Christ, no, Tim. When we were kids you used to drag my cabbage patch doll to feed at the table while Mom dragged me from the mud."_

_"I played in the mud, too. And it's not my fault Andy liked potato."_

_"You are a very strange person, brother."_

_"Back at you. Now go to sleep."_

_"Thank God."_

_"Hey, And thanks, Doctor Robbins."_

_"You know, one day you'll have to stop saying that like it's a joke. I'm an actual doctor."_

_"Never in my eyes, kid."_

_"Said the child breaker."_

_"I hate you."_

_"Go away, I'm very busy and important."_

_They'd both hung up laughing._

In the slight light, she could see dust floating in the air, the door opening disturbing it. Besides a slight musty smell, it looked like it always had. Her throat ached as she looked around.

Ella turned her head and stared with wide eyes.

"It smells like Mommy."

Arizona breathed in deeply, a lingering smell of perfume in the room she hadn't noticed at first.

"Wanna sleep in their bed, Ella?"

Ella blinked, looking around. She nodded. "I'd sleep in the middle, when I was sick. Daddy called me his hot water bottle."

Arizona took in a deep breath and stepped through the door way.

Nothing happened.

She didn't really expect anything to; maybe she'd just hoped something would. Entering this room had been built up into something, into a symbol of their avoidance.

She walked them forward to the bed, putting Ella down, the little girls hand clinging to Arizona's shirt as she sat on the bed. Arizona pulled the covers back and Ella scooted up and slipped under them, Arizona following suit. Ella wriggled backwards and Arizona wrapped her arms around her, pulling her into her.

They lay quietly, Arizona registering in the back of her mind that not a lot of dust gathered in those few weeks.

She had really built this up in her mind a lot.

Ella's little voice cut through the semi dark, "I miss the way Mommy knew when I was having a nightmare, and would come in to my room and scoop me up."

Arizona rest her chin on top of Ella's head, the little girl completely folded into her front. Ella's voice was almost contemplative, a tone Arizona rarely heard in kids her age.

"I miss the way your mommy laughed with me after we'd put you rascals to bed."

"I miss how Daddy's cheek felt in the morning when he'd cuddle me, all scratchy."

Arizona smiled softly at that, "I miss how your Daddy always knew what I was thinking."

"'Cause you two were like twins?"

"Exactly."

"I miss how Daddy made eggs. His eggs were yum."

"I miss how your Mommy would choose me awesome presents but let your Daddy take the credit."

"I miss how Mommy was always at home."

"I miss your Dads stupid jokes."

"Daddy had good jokes."

"Hey Ella, what do you get hanging from trees?"

"What?"

"Sore arms."

Ella let out a little squawk of laughter, "Was that my Dads joke?"

"It was his favourite."

"See? Funny." She could feel the smug little smile that came off her niece.

"Let's agree to disagree, Ella Bella." Arizona pulled her in closer, a small laugh escaping, "I miss how your Mommy and I used to go shopping."

"I miss Mommy's cuddles."

"I miss your Daddy's hugs."

"Me, too."

They played that for who knows how long, before Toby's cry cut in to the room. Arizona went to sit up and go to him, looking down at Ella, who blinked flushed faced and sleepy eyed at her, "Are you okay here while I get Toby?"

Ella nodded, burrowing down.

Arizona slipped out and went to Toby's room, the little boy standing up, clinging to the cot rail. She could feel the heat radiating off of him before she even touched him. She pulled him into a cuddle, his tiny limbs wrapping around her, then stripped him of the onesie, leaving him in a nappy and vest.

Cradling him to her front, her hand cupping the back of his head to her chest, she padded them through the hallway to Tim and Sally's room, leaving the door open to wash the room with the hallway light. Ella was sitting up, engulfed in the middle of the king sized bed.

"Ella Bella, what are you wearing?"

Ella looked down at the jumper that was swimming on her, "This is Daddy's army jumper."

Arizona slipped into bed next to Ella, sitting cross legged, Toby still wrapped around her. She rubbed his back, letting him cling as he looked around a room he hardly remembered.

Arizona gave her a small smile, "Where was it?"

"Under Mommy's pillow. She wore it whenever Daddy went away." Ella wrapped her hands around herself, "It's like a hug from both of them."

Ella said it simply, but Arizona felt the words tug at her.

Arizona lay down on her side, Toby wiggling to cuddle into her front. She reached her hand out and Ella folded over Toby's back, Arizona's arms easily reaching to wrap around both of them. She left the blankets off, the two kids hot enough, laying in her brothers old bed, with his children.

The three of them drifted of. Ella didn't wake calling out and Toby slept through.

Arizona didn't take her hands off the kids all night, keeping them to her.

####

"You're kind of addictive."

Arizona smiled as she felt lips press against the back of her neck and an arm wrap around her middle. She'd been staring vaguely at the OR board at eight am, the hallway empty, and then suddenly, the bliss of Callie enveloped her.

"You should join a support group." She smiled, pretending to keep looking at the board as Callie's chin rest on her shoulder, her front pressed tight to Arizona's back. Arizona didn't think it was normal to feel so like turning and pushing someone against the wall, and feel so settled and at peace, all at the same time.

Callie laughed, "Arizona Addicts Anonymous. I can get Jenny to join." Arizona rolled her eyes, puffing out a laugh. Callie turned to nuzzle her neck, smiling against the skin, "Laugh all you want, that intern has an insane crush on you."

Arizona turned her head, eye to eye with Callie, lips barely apart from hers, "Too bad I'm only interested in ortho surgeons."

Callie's mouth dropped open, "I knew you were seeing Daniels!"

Arizona laughed delightedly and pressed her lips to Callie's, both of them smiling through it. Daniels was an ortho Dinosaur, barely practising.

"How are the kids feeling?"

Arizona shrugged, stepping back from Callie, putting space between them before they got too comfortable in the public space, "Better. It was a short lived bug."

"Ella happy to have a day off school yesterday?"

Arizona nodded, leading the walk down the hall way to the elevator, "She was. Her and Toby were mostly better by the morning but I figured I shouldn't share their bug around. Apparently it's sweeping through the daycare, so we'll blame them."

"Good idea. Enjoy your lazy morning yesterday?"

Arizona rolled her eyes. She'd called Hunt, getting the all clear to start at ten to get the kids up slowly, to ease their way in to reality after their evening, "Actually, yes. It was delightful. Someone lovely left a coffee on my desk when I got in."

Callie widened her eyes, pressing the up button on the lift, "Who could that have been?"

The doors opened and Arizona let Callie step through first, happy to note it was empty. The second the doors started to close, Arizona pushed her against the back wall, smiling at her, "You?"

Callie grinned, wrapping her arms around her, "It's no fun if you guess."

Arizona kissed her, it been days since she had gotten to. First the day from hell, then yesterday had seen Callie completely dragged into the OR. Their session on the couch had been almost a week ago. Both women, with their insane work schedules and Arizona's commitments to the kids, lacking the time they wanted for each other.

Callie's tongue traced her bottom lip and Arizona groaned, pressing herself harder against Callie, who's hands entwined in her hair, fingers pressing into her scalp.

They felt the lift slow to a stop and Arizona stepped backwards quickly, turning on the spot and standing as the doors opened as if they'd been in the position the whole time.

Mark stood there, holding back a smirk as he stepped in, eying them off as he turned and pressed the button for the floor he wanted.

Arizona bit her lip as she heard Callie hold back a laugh.

"And I'm supposed to believe you two weren't just going at it like horny high schoolers?"

Arizona heard Callie attempt to stick up for them, "Anyone else would have believed it."

Mark snorted, turning his head to look at them both with raised eyebrows, "Arizona's face is bright red and your shirt, Callie-" He flicked his eyes down and then back to her face, "Is unbuttoned almost completely."

Arizona smirked as Callie looked down, "Holy shit, Arizona, how fast do you move your hands?"

Callie had no idea.

"I'd love to see just how fast."

Arizona was saved having to thump Mark as Callie's hairbrush, pulled from her handbag, hit him in the back of the head.

She slid past him as he rubbed his head when the doors opened, turning to watch them close, Mark turning around to most likely swear at Callie, who was looking past him, doing up her buttons and staring after Arizona with a stupid smile on her face.

There were nights like two nights ago, where everything felt impossible, and days like today, where she felt an almost peace settle over her as her life seemed to calm. She didn't know what it was about the other night with the two kids, the whole day hideous and her wondering what the hell she was doing come eight pm. But then, as she lay wrapped with them in a room she had avoided at all costs, she wondered where those two kids would be now if she wasn't doing this. They'd all woken up the next morning, everything feeling slightly new, a small weight lifted.

Arizona may sometimes wonder what she was doing, but never why she was doing it.

And then Callie.

Callie made everything a little bit better.

She still had no idea how they would work, if Callie would one day run from the woman with all the baggage, but no matter how she thought, Arizona couldn't stop herself from falling in to Callie any time she was near her.

The day was spent in consults with Karev and her team and at three thirty, almost on the dot, an eruption of pagers occurred around her. Arizona looked down at hers, scrolling through the abnormally long message it presented, her going off first with more info, as the head of her department.

She looked up at the surrounding surgeons and watched them read through their messages, watched their expressions, mirrors of the one that had just been on her own face, "Okay, listen up. That's a nine one one for the pit. A truck has t-boned a school bus. We have multiple trauma's on the way-we're in for the night, guys."

Arizona sent some of them to the pit, including Karev, and directed a few of the others to cover post ops. Arizona spun on her heel and started for the stairs, pushing the door open and pulling out her phone as she moved quickly down them. She placed the call as soon as she walked through the door.

"Mom. Hi, it's me."

_"Hey, sweetie."_

" I'm really sorry, but there's been a huge accident and I can't leave work this time."

_"Oh, no. Don't tell me about it, I don't want to know."_

Arizona smiled grimly, feet pounding rhythmically on the stairs. The door on the next level swung open as she passed it and she turned her head to see Callie walk out, smiling at her as she started making her way down the stairs next to Arizona.

"I think I'll be here late, as head of the department I can't go, it's all paeds. Can Ella and Toby stay with you?"

_"Of course. I can wash Ella's school uniform over night for tomorrow-I've got her from school already. How do I get Toby?"_

Arizona smiled softly as she felt Callie's hand on the small of her back as they made their way to ground level.

"Remember I told you? You're on the list of people who can get him from daycare, just take your license in."

_"Okay, honey. I'll get him in an hour."_

"Thanks, Mom. Sorry about this."

_"Don't be silly. It's what Grandma's are for."_

"Tell Ella I'm sorry. Tell her we'll go to the movies on the weekend."

_"She'll be fine. I'll keep Toby with me tomorrow, I'll let the daycare know when I pick him up. Good luck, honey."_

"Thanks Mom, bye."

She hung up the phone and dropped it in her pocket, turning to look at Callie as they reached the last flight of stairs.

"Hi." She grinned at her.

Callie replied with a smile of her own, hand moving to trail down Arizona's forearm, "Hey. Ready for a long night?"

Arizona nodded as they hit the landing, pulling the door open that put them in to the pit, already a mess as it was set up for mass trauma, sirens wailing outside, the first patients already on their way in. Callie's fingers linked with hers a second before she walked through the doors and they let go, game faces on.

"You bet."

####


	14. Chapter 14

**Title: **Changes  
**Author: **gabs88  
**Pairing: **Callie/Arizona  
**Summary: **When Arizona's brother dies in a car crash with his wife, she is named guardian of his two children. What does this mean for the life of someone who never wanted her own kids, let alone anyone elses?  
**Rating: **T  
**Disclaimer: **All characters belong to ABC/Shonda Rhimes.  
**Note: **I love having time to write :D. Thank you everyone, you're all so encouraging. I'm glad everyone seems happy with the pace. There's so much to explore in this fic and I'm loving doing it. You guys are all so motivating :). Just a short one today.

Oh, and I'm so not a surgeon. I really don't know what I'm on about.

**Changes  
Chapter Fourteen**

The pit was chaotic, intense. The noise level was huge, each doctor and nurse having the ability to fade it out after years of practice to focus on the patient right in front of them. There were multiple traumas, and as a Priority One Trauma Centre, they were receiving the children requiring immediate care. Other hospitals were taking the lower priority cases from the crash, Seattle Grace Mercy West on its own not really able to handle an influx of thirty so children all at once.

It was all hands on deck, and Arizona was loving it. Not that there were children in a critical condition after a truck crashed in to a school bus, but she was definitely loving the action, the incredible fast pace, the thinking on her feet. adrenaline hit her system as she walked in and became engulfed by it all.

It was her job, after all. A job she was damn good at and that she had lived for, once.

She glanced up at the monitor attached to the little boy in front of her, her peripheral vision taking in the site of Teddy straddling a gurney with her hand in a girls chest, Yang at her airway as they wheeled passed on the way to the OR. All the Attendings were present, Arizona, as head of paeds, passing from patient to patient to offer advice on a paediatric level, changing gloves and gowns faster than she thought she could. The kids were a mess, all with multiple fractures, some with burns when the back of the bus had caught fire, most with blunt trauma. A kid had ended up with a safety rail in his abdomen, Bailey already with him in the OR, her face grim as the elevator doors had closed.

"Robbins, need you!"

Arizona turned to the voice, shedding the blood spattered trauma gown and gloves, slipping on new ones, "Kepner, get him to the OR as soon as the next is available. In the mean time, keep pushing adrenaline to keep his BP up and use whatever fluid you can. If you need to do a fasciotomy, call Torres."

Kepner nodded and Arizona walked up to Hunt, tie traded for trauma gown, her eyes casting over his patient. She looked about nine, deathly pale and Arizona didn't even flinch as she saw Hunt shove a chest tube in. Her eyes flicked to the monitor and she saw the girls oxygen saturation rise from the critical levels they'd been to something slightly improved.

"What we got, Hunt?"

"Approximately nine year old girl, unconscious at the scene. Crush injury to chest and abdo, haemothorax, chest drain in, sats improving. Her abdo is distended and rigid, we've got blood in the belly, I'm thinking ruptured spleen, maybe a perforated bowel." Arizona nodded, taking the chart he handed over, looking up to check she had blood tranfusing, enough fluids. Hunt had it sorted. He turned his eyes to her then went back to securing the drain, "I want you on her."

"Don't want me on the floor down here?"

Hunt shook his head, "She's our biggest problem, I'll liaise with Karev down here, she needs you in there. Pictures will be up when you get there, CT and X-ray."

Arizona nodded, pulling up the side rail on the gurney, eyes flicking to the nurse on the other side of the bed, "Let's get her upstairs." The nurse nodded and started preparing her to transfer.

Hunt called after her as they started to move out of the pit, "OR four!"

"Thanks, Hunt!" She looked to Karev as she passed him, stethoscope to a childs chest, "Karev, you're on point down here with Hunt." He nodded, and as they passed the last gurney, she saw two residents over a patient, "Great, since there's two of you, Grey, I want you up there with me."

The youngest Grey sister looked up from the chart she was looking at, immediately handing it to Avery and following.

"What we got?"

They hit the elevator and Arizona filled her in on what she knew while they rode up. As the doors opened to spill them out on the the OR level, they left the gurney to be wheeled through to the OR for the patient to be prepped, and walked in to scrub room. They started to scrub in as quickly as they could.

"When we get in there, they'll have the images up in there for us to see. We'll take a quick look and then need to open her straight up. She's losing a lot of blood."

Grey nodded, mask in place, "Parents know?"

Arizona raised her arms, holding them up as she pushed through the OR doors with her back, making eye contact with Lexie as she did so, "No time to find that out."

They worked quickly, opening her up, their main focus stopping the bleeders and the perforation Hunt had called correctly. The girl underwent a splenectomy, had multiple fractured ribs and there was so much blood in the belly they worked standing on towels.

Five hours of surgery and when they finally closed her up, pieced back together, Hunts head appeared around the door as she was wheeled to ICU.

"Robbins, another incoming. Crushed pelvis, fractured femurs-Torres will need her hands in this, can you assist?"

Arizona walked back towards the scrub room, shedding her gown, gloves and masks, headed to scrub out to purely just scrub in again, "No worries."

Hunt turned to Grey, "Scrub out, Little Grey, then Shepherds asked for your assist."

Lexie nodded, "OR?"

"OR two."

Arizona held the door open for Lexie to walk through, eyes catching Hunts, "What was her name?"

Hunt harried look softened for a second, "Madeline. She turns nine next week, thanks to you. Next one, Todd, will be in as soon as the OR is clean. Scans will be up."

Arizona nodded, then followed Lexie through to scrub out. They stood side by side, and as they finished Arizona dried her hands, leaning back against the sink as she did so, taking a minute since the OR needed to be cleaned. Lexie smiled grimly at her as she walked out.

"Good job, Little Grey." She had picked up on the nick name, finding it suited the woman.

"Thanks. See you in the morning." They grinned wryly and Lexie slipped out just as someone held the door open for her.

Arizona's grin became a happy one as Callie walked in to the room. It became even wider as she looked down and saw two coffees in her hands.

Arizona reached her hand forward, accepting the coffee Callie handed over, "Oh my God, you are amazing. Thank you."

She took a long gulp, relishing the taste.

Callie laughed, "I see how this is. You're only happy because I gave you coffee." She settled next to Arizona, both of them using the sink almost as a bench, arms pressed together.

Arizona shook her head, taking another sip, "Not totally true. I was very happy when you walked in. Just ecstatic when I saw the coffee."

Callie nodded, cupping her hands around the coffee cup, "I'll accept that."

Callie leant sideways, pressing a kiss to Arizona's lips. She went to pull back, but Arizona's hand came up, grabbing at the material of her scrub top and pulling her back in, deepening the kiss for a moment, tongue tracing along Callie's bottom lip, their lips parting.

She finally released Callie, who pulled back with a happy smile, "If coffee gets me that, what does this get me?" She held up a paper bag.

Arizona literally bounced on the spot, "Food!" Callie laughed as Arizona practically snatched the bag and looked inside, "Microwaved pizza rolls." She looked up at Callie again, "Where did you find these?"

"I stole them from Karevs locker when I heard we were scrubbing in together after I finished up my other surgery an hour ago."

Arizona pulled one out and handed the bag back to Callie, "I hadn't even realised how hungry I was." She took a bite, chewing quickly and swallowing. She held her coffee up, "Or how caffeine deprived." She smiled, "Thank you."

Callie smiled back at her, pulling out the other roll and throwing the bag in the bin, "My pleasure. How was your surgery?"

"Awesome. She was a mess, but she should make it through the night. Yours?"

"We're going to have to go back in after a few days, too much swelling. multiple fractures, we only managed to fix a few of them; the swelling in the leg was too much."

Arizona winced, "Ouch."

"He's in for a long recovery. And from the sounds of it, this one will be, too."

"It's going to be a long night."

Callie nodded, "It really is." She eyed Arizona, "Something you don't look too sad about."

Arizona had the sense to look a little sheepish, "I know. I can't help it." She took a sip of her coffee, eyes sparkling over the rim, "I've really missed this. I haven't done a late one in months. This kind of pressure, having them wheeled in and out, only thinking of the surgery."

Callie grinned at her, "You really are a little hard core."

"I told you that already."

"It was hard to believe, with all your paeds perk."

Arizona shrugged, her tone playful, "You shouldn't underestimate me, Callie."

Callie nodded slowly, eyeing her, "I'm starting to learn that."

Arizona grinned and leant forward again, brushing her lips to Callies. This time, it was Callie who pulled her back as Arizona went to pull away, hand slipping behind her neck, thumb brushing her cheek as Arizona's pushed back against her. When they parted, Arizona pressing a final chaste kiss against Callie's lips for good measure, she rest her forehead to Callie's, both smiling. Arizona eventually settled back against the sink, sipping her coffee and watching Callie as she did so.

They didn't tear their eyes off each other for a good few moments, the sound of people rushing in to the OR behind them finally breaking the spell.

"Ready?"

Arizona tipped back the rest of her coffee, "Ready."

They both pulled on fresh surgical masks, starting to scrub in, shoulders brushing. As they finished up, Arizona started to walk towards the door.

"And Callie?"

Callie looked at her as Arizona pressed her back to the door to push it open so as not to contaminate her hands. She could tell Arizona was grinning at her, eyes lit up behind the mask.

"Yeah?"

"I owe you one for that coffee."

Callie gave her own grin as she followed Arizona through.

It was the first real surgery they'd worked on together.

They'd been seeing each other now, Arizona supposed, for over a month. She already knew they had an incredible chemistry, able to flirt under the pretense of talking about anything from a surgery to discussing what they ate for lunch. They'd spent what time they could together, eating, talking, walking down a hallway. The physical side was slow, painfully so, sometimes. That ache was there, that burning desire that caused her fingers to twitch whenever Callie stood close to her very present and sometimes over taking her brain. They escaped to hidden stairwells for an against the wall make out session. When they kissed, Arizona's world caught aflame. Callie smiled at her and ran her finger tips down Arizona's forearm, and she became absolutely undone.

Yet it was there, as they put a boys bones back together, that Arizona started to appreciate how close they had become. As opposed to that morning in Callie's flat, where they were comfortable together, yet still unsure, they now moved in sync. They operate like they had an unseen connection. Ideas bounced between them, Callie more radical to Arizona's methodical approach, both balancing each other out to create a perfect team in the OR.

Callie's hands worked a drill, while Arizona did all she could to save the marrow from the right femur.

And in the back of her mind, watching Callie's hands move, the way her body swayed to the terrible music she insisted on, Arizona felt herself become incredibly turned on.

Completely inappropriate, but here, past eleven at night, as they moved around each other in synchronicity, both working wonders, Arizona felt a warmth in her stomach.

She really did believe Callie was going to be the death of her. No matter what it felt like common sense told her about her position with the kids, Arizona couldn't say no to her.

At eleven thirty, Hunt, ever the co-ordinator, stuck his head in and requested Arizona scrub out, to be replace by Kepner, to scrub in with Teddy, now operating on a boy with a pseudoanurysm. Arizona flicked her eyes up, catching Callie's, both looking at each other with such intensity Arizona felt like a giddy teenager.

She finally stepped back, Kepner stepping in, and ripped the gown off, scrubbing out quickly. She made it to OR two, now occupied by Teddy, and lost herself in cardiothoracics. She enjoyed working with Teddy, the two of them having a similar method and thought processes, chatter passing easily between them as they worked.

It was three in the morning when they scrubbed out, Teddy giving her a blurry, "Thanks."

They were done, every staff member wiped, all surgeries for the emergencies that needed to be completed, finished. Hunt gathered them all, residents and attendings all blinking at him post being in surgery for twelve hours straight.

"That was amazing work. All the kids bought to us have made it through surgery and look to make it through the night. I want you all to go home. Those rostered on to start this morning, sleep. I'll see you at noon You know the new laws, there's no working too many hours straight. The night staff that came on at eleven tonight can stay late. You all need it."

Arizona stood between Teddy and Callie, her hands buried in her pockets. Teddy looked sideways at them both, "I'll be in ICU monitoring my patients."

Arizona looked at her, concerned, "Sleep, Teddy?"

Teddy shrugged, "He can't make me."

And with that she was gone, Arizona following her with concerned eyes. Teddy looked back at her as she walked off, actually smiling, "Go home, Arizona. I'm fine. I have patients I can bury myself in."

Arizona watched Yang swing in besides Teddy, following her.

Callie looked to Arizona, "I suppose you should get home to the ki-" she stopped as she realised Arizona had set up the kids to be at her mothers, not knowing how long she'd be at work for. A slow grin spread over her face. "Ella and Toby are at your moms."

Arizona rocked back on her heels slightly, the realisation dawning on her, too, "Yeah, they are. My house is empty."

"Need some company?" Callie stepped backwards, eyes wide incredibly fake innocence as she already started leading the way to the exit.

Arizona grinned, stepping forward to follow her.

"I think I do."

####


	15. Chapter 15

**Title: **Changes  
**Author: **gabs88  
**Pairing: **Callie/Arizona  
**Summary: **When Arizona's brother dies in a car crash with his wife, she is named guardian of his two children. What does this mean for the life of someone who never wanted her own kids, let alone anyone elses?  
**Rating: **M  
**Disclaimer: **All characters belong to ABC/Shonda Rhimes.  
**Note: **So. This was going to stay a 'T' rating. However, it was pointed out to me that there has been a rather large lead up and that would be cruel. So, the rating has been bumped. If you wish to skip this chapter because of it, you won't miss a lot plot wise :). Hope it doesn't disappoint haha.

And, of course, thank you for the ongoing reviews. You're all so awesome.

**Changes  
Chapter Fifteen**

"That does _not_ mean I have more relationship experience than you."

It was three thirty am, and they were far more awake than they should be, though not surprising considering the coffee consumption both women had over the night. Arizona held the door open for Callie to walk through, laughing at the indignant tone in the woman's voice.

"Please, Callie, you were _married_. Totally does."

Callie shook her head, hanging her jacket up and following Arizona down the hall in to the kitchen.

"Yeah, okay, I was married." Callie rolled her eyes, "How long were you in your last relationship for?"

Arizona shrugged, opening the fridge as Callie took a seat at the table, "Three years-white okay?" She held up the bottle.

Callie nodded, "Whites great. I'd take anything right now." Arizona raised her eyebrows at her, smirking as she fished out two glasses, "Okay, I could have worded that better." Callie gave a laugh, "See. Three years! That's commitment. My marriage lasted a few months and was a disaster."

Arizona shrugged as she poured, "Yeah, but it was still a marriage, with vows and commitment and, I'm assuming, once you're in it, you make different sacrifices and things."

Callie looked thoughtful for a moment, then conceded, "Okay. Maybe. Maybe it does. But three years is major."

Arizona shrugged as she sat next to Callie, sliding her glass over to her and sipping her own, "I suppose. It was my first real relationship though, besides the odd longer thing in college."

Callie raised her eyes over the rim of her glass as she sipped, "Seriously?" She put the glass on the table and looked Arizona up and down blatantly, "_How?_"

Arizona laughed, rolling her eyes, "I was so focussed on work and my career. I was happy, doing that? I didn't want commitment."

Callie looked at her almost suspiciously for a minute.

Arizona raised her eyebrows, "What?"

"You were a bit of a player, weren't you?"

"What?" Arizona's pitch went slightly higher, eyes avoiding Callie as she gave a half shrug, chin tucking into her shoulder, "What? No."

Callie gave a laugh, "Oh, you so were."

Arizona rolled her eyes and sipped her wine, "Whatever. I just didn't do commitment while I was focussed on work."

Callie was trying not to laugh, "Mhm."

"_Anyway_. Then I did a three year commitment. So there."

Callie cocked her head, looking at her with interest, "Do you mind me asking what changed? with your ex, I mean? Or is that not something the current date can ask?"

"I think it's fine." Arizona smiled as she sipped her wine again, "I don't know, really. We were incredibly similar, driven by our careers. I think that was the main factor in our relationship, that we both understood our careers came first and that was okay. I'm not sure many women would be okay with that."

Callie nodded, "That makes sense."

Arizona shrugged, "At the start though? I was practically a newborn. Now? I'm plopped into a life with kids, something I never planned-I'm definitely a newborn." Arizona pondered Callie for a moment, looking at her intently, "You? You seem to have this settled, comfortable thing down pat."

Callie laughed out loud, "Arizona, I said my vows in Vegas. Don't put me on too high a pedestal."

Arizona tried to smother a laugh, "Vegas?"

Callie nodded, "Vegas."

Arizona laughed out loud, Callie joining in. The both sipped their wine, giggles still falling from their lips.

"You still have things to offer."

Arizona raised her eyebrows in question.

Callie shrugged, "Despite being a bit of a newborn, you still have things to offer." Callie looked around, then back to Arizona, "I'm certainly happy to be here. New to everything and two kids included."

Arizona stood up slightly off her chair, leaning forward and pressing her lips to Callie's once before pulling back slightly to look her in the eye, "You've been amazing." Callie shook her head but Arizona interrupted, "You really have, Callie. Amazing."

She leant forward, kissing her again before sitting back in her chair.

Callie was grinning, "Even despite the Vegas thing?"

Arizona laughed, "Even with that." She ran her finger along the rim of her wine glass, "Do you mind _me_ asking, what happened?"

"With my marriage?"

Arizona nodded.

Callie smiled softly, "It's okay, to talk about now. He cheated on me, with his best friend."

Arizona's eyes widened. Reflex kicked in and she had the urge to hunt down the idiot who did that and hit him wih a brick. Who would cheat on Callie?

"Your face? That's how I felt for a long time. Then, well, I realised it was a blessing. We were never meant to be. I was so in love with him, but the relationship was doomed."

Arizona nodded, "It's hard, to accept that things are meant to end."

"It is."

"Did you always date women?"

Callie laughed, "No. That came after George, something my father clung to as a reason I'd 'get over it'-he thought I was turning to women because George had hurt me."

Arizona resisted the urge to roll her eyes, "I was incredibly lucky, with my parents. I can't even imagine, the adjustments you all had to make."

Callie shrugged, "It's getting okay, now."

"Good. So who was she? The woman that made you wake up and realise the fun side of the fence?"

Callie laughed, "You," She grinned, "are a dork. Her name was Erica. She was blonde," Callie raised her eyebrows at her playfully as she sipped her wine, "A cardio attending. It took my best friend, Addison, to come back and point it out to me to realise what was happening. I got there eventually, though."

"Blondes will do that to you."

Callie rolled her eyes, "Yeah, well, apparently I have a weakness. Erica was another doomed one. Then came Jaime, a past patient. We dated for awhile-she was the first out person I'd really met, and dated."

Arizona felt something akin to jealousy flash in her stomach, that someone else had shown Callie all of that. ridiculous, really, and she almost smiled at her own silliness.

"A patient Callie? How risqué."

"A _former_ patient." Callie rolled her eyes at her.

Arizona drained the last of her wine, "Still, point stands."

"Going to report me?"

Arizona laughed, "I think if I did I'd have to report the multiple times I know you've been making out in stairwells."

Callie grinned, "Shot yourself in the foot."

"Damn." Arizona stood up, picking up their glasses and putting them on the bench before walking over to the fridge, "Another glass?"

She heard Callies chair push back and turned, Callie stepping in her space. She stepped forward, gently pushing Arizona up so the small of her back pressed in to the bench.

"I don't really want any more wine."

Arizona smiled, "What do you want, then?"

Callie leaned forward, brushing her lips lightly against Arizona's. Arizona's eyes closed on their own accord as Callie's lips pressed gently to her jaw, tracing a pattern to behind her ear. Her fingers resting lightly against her hips, Arizona's pressed against the bench behind her.

When Callie spoke, it was in a whisper, her breath brushing against her skin, Arizona holding back a shudder, "I want you. Just," her tongue snaked against her neck, her lips pressing against the same spot once, "You."

Arizona raised her hands up, threading them in Callie's hair and pulling her up so her lips crushed against her own. She groaned in to it as Callie pressed her full weight against her, pinning her to the bench.

There were no children in their house. Hunt had assured them all their pagers wouldn't go off. Callie had the day off and Arizona didn't need to be in until twelve.

Callie pulled back, smiling as she felt Arizona grinning under her lips.

"What?"

Arizona pulled her back towards her, one hand tucked behind her neck, "We aren't going to be interrupted by pagers." She kissed her once, "Or Karev," and again, "Or crying babies."

Callie grinned too, "Oh, okay. Good reason to smile."

Arizona pushed back against her, pushing them towards the kitchen door, lips barely leaving each other except for soft laughter and murmured words.

"You always make me smile."

Arizona gently guided Callie to the stairs, eyes flicking to look up them before deciding it was too hard and just pushing her against the banister, Callie's hands falling to it to balance herself as Arizona's lips moved to her neck. She felt Callie's groan under her lips as they pressed to her skin, Arizona grazing her teeth against her, lips pressing straight after. Callie's hands wove in to her hair, her nails biting in to her scalp and Arizona raised her head back up, lips pressing to Callie's.

"Upstairs." She kissed her again, "Upstairs is a bed."

Callie nodded, "Right." Her hands were on her hips, pulling her in tighter against her, "Right. Bed."

"If we don't go," Arizona kissed her, pulling back to look at her intently, "I'm going to shove you on to the stairs, and as hot as that'd be, there's a bed."

Callie nodded, eyes opening to look at Arizona, eyes that Arizona had come to realise were the most expressive she'd ever seen. Callie would never be able to hold something back, because her eyes would give her away in seconds.

And right now, Callie was considering the stairs thing. She even looked to them, almost pouting, "They don't even have carpet."

Arizona laughed, stepping back and grabbing Callie's hand, she led her up the stairs, turning left and walking in to her room. She span on the spot, tugging on her hand and pulling her back in to her. They met in a tangle, hands in hair, lips parting against each other, stumbling back against the bed. Back of her knees hitting the bed, Callie sat down on the edge, pulling Arizona with her. Taking the not so subtle hint of Callie's hands slipping to her hips, Arizona straddled her, legs slipping either side of Callie without breaking the kiss.

Callie immediately ran her hand up under the back of Arizona's shirt, fingertips brushing the sensitive skin. Their lips didn't part, Arizona's hands buried in Callie's hair, Callie's finger tips grazing over the side of her ribs, her back arching slightly at the touch. Callie finally pulled away from the kiss, lips moving over her cheek, her jaw, tongue and teeth grazed Arizona's neck, her thumbs brushing the underside of her bra before trailing back down over her stomach, tracing just over the waistband of her pants back to trail up her spine.

Arizona randomly giggled, and Callie pulled back, a bemused expression on her face, eyebrows raised, "Um. Arizona? Not really the reaction I was looking for."

Arizona gave her a sheepish look, hands shifting to cup Callie's cheeks, "No, I'm sorry." She grinned, radiant, "I just, this position is very deja vu. In your bedroom. It just crossed my mind, how different it is this time."

A slow grin crossed Callie's face as she registered, "No tears this time."

Arizona shook her head, dropping her hands to Callie's shoulders to push her back against the bed. Callie complied with no resistance whatsoever, hands sliding out the back of Arizona's shirt to rest on top of her thighs. Arizona rest a hand either side of Callie's face, smiling down at her, her hair falling around them.

"Nope. And no stopping."

"No medals required."

Arizona chuckled, leaning down further to press her lips to Callie's, "I think we deserve medals. It's been a long time that I've wanted you like this, with no interruptions. I don't care that it's four in the morning."

Callie's hands came up either side of Arizona's face, eyes soft, "Totally worth the wait."

Arizona smiled, "Totally."

She leant forward as if to kiss Callie, but then pulled back, smiling at the look on Callie's face. Sitting up, Arizona's hands toyed at the hem line of her shirt, head tilted as she watched understanding cross Callie's face, her eyes falling to her hands then back to meet Arizona's. The smile that would forever make Arizona's stomach flip lit up her face, and Arizona tugged the shirt up slowly, pulling it over her head and dropping it behind her. She had a moment, where shyness overtook her, an emotion she sometimes thought would never completely leave a woman no matter how confident. However, when Callie's eyes trailed over her and her mouth dropped open, that feeling left and all she felt was the burn of Callie's eyes.

How did she trust her so much already?

Callie pushed herself up on her elbows, biting her lower lip as she finally met Arizona's eyes again, "You are so fucking beautiful, Arizona."

Arizona smiled and leaned down, capturing Callie in a kiss. Callie pushed herself completely up, sitting again, one hand moving from Arizona's thighs to run her fingers slowly up her side again. Running them under her bra, fingertips just stroking the material, she splayed her hand over Arizona's sternum, feeling her heart racing under her palm. Callie stroked her collarbone as her tongue ran along Arizona's bottom lip. She nipped at it, teeth dragging over the skin before pulling back, hands dropping down to her own shirt, eyes boring into Arizona's, a cheeky smile on her lips. Arizona's raised her hands up, grabbing Callie's and pulling them away.

"I want to."

Callie's smile stayed cheeky, "Assertive? I like it."

Arizona gripped Callie's shirt, giving a playful shrug, "I just know what I want."

Callie raised her arms up and Arizona pulled the shirt up, eyes taking in every inch of skin and curve that was exposed. She tugged it over Callie's head, her hair tumbling around her, and Arizona pushed forward, throwing the shirt behind her and pressing Callie down in to the bed, lips crashing together. Her legs slipped down, one slipping between Callie's so she was straddling her thigh, her own thigh rolling against Callie. They both moaned at the contact, Callie with one hand buried in Arizona's hair, fingertips of her other hand digging in to her back. Arizona ran a hand up Callie's thigh, over her hip and up her side, revelling in the smoothness of her skin, fingertips tracing over the cup of her bra.

Arizona really could fall in to this woman and happily never find her way out.

Callie brought her hands up, undoing Arizona's bra in a second.

"Arizona," Callie's voice sent shivers down her spine, "I just want to feel you."

Smothering a groan, Arizona slipped her hand under Callie, undoing hers and both women shed them at once, torsos pressing together as Callie wrapped her arms around Arizona's back, pulling her in to her. Palm gliding over Callie's skin, Arizona's lips moved to her neck as her thumb brushed over her nipple, Callie's head falling back with a groan. Arizona felt Callie's hands tangle in her hair, urging her head down to replace her thumb with her mouth. Fingertips gripping Callie's hip, her tongue bringing moans from the other womans mouth, Arizona was caught between wanting to drag this out as slowly as she could and wanting to hear how Callie sounded, _right now_, when she came. Weeks and weeks of flirting with this culminating to leave her aching for the feel of Callie. Arizona's lips kissed a path down Callie's ribs, tongue tracing against her skin.

"You," she said in between damp kisses as she moved over her stomach, "do things to me I can't even explain, Callie."

She looked up, lips pressed just under Callie's naval, to see Callie's eyes on her, the darkened look in them sending a jolt through Arizona that settled straight at her centre. She sat up slightly, fingertips undoing the button and zip of Callie's jeans.

Callie lifted her hips as Arizona tugged them down and off her, "Believe me when I say, I understand."

Arizona smiled as she stood, tugging the jeans off Callie's legs, pulling her own down and kicking them off, half crawling back up Callie's body, dropping kisses to her skin as she did so. Callie wrapped her legs around her hips, pulling her in against her, Arizona rocking her hips forward, biting her lip as Callie's mouth dropped open partially at the contact. Dipping her head, Arizona kissed her again, rolling her hips as she did so in a slow rhythm, their underwear an annoying barrier between the contact.

Callie tightened the hold her legs had, pushing Arizona harder against her, "That," Callie moved her hips forward to meet Arizona's, "feels amazing."

Arizona kissed her neck, teeth grazing gently before biting down softly, Callie's nails dragging against the skin of her back, "It would feel more amazing if you were naked." She smiled as she kissed Callie's jaw before kissing her, Callie's tongue pushing in to her mouth. Their kissing grew more insistent as Arizona kept rolling her hips, soft groans leaving both their mouths. Callie's nails were digging in to Arizona's ass, guiding her movements, and she dragged the other hand between their bodies, thumb brushing over Arizona nipple before cupping her breast, palm pressing against her.

Arizona finally tore her lips away, pressing them once to Callie's neck before running her hand down Callie's thigh, urging her to put her legs down. Callie did so and Arizona sat up on the bed, kneeling, one hand resting on Callie's knee as she looked down at her. She pressed a kiss next to her hand and Callie gave her a slow smile.

"Take your underwear off, Arizona."

Arizona smiled at her, fingers running lazily over her own stomach, trailing over the edge of her underwear, "Now who's been assertive?"

Callie smirked at her, "Now."

Arizona hooked her thumbs into her underwear, sliding them down and pulling them off, remaining kneeling, hand back on Callie's knee. She slowly ran her hand down over the top of Callie's thigh, watching Callie's eyes widen as she stared at her. She took hold of Callie's underwear, pulling them off, Callie lifting her hips again. Kneeling between Callie's legs, Arizona pressed a kiss again to her knee, her lips grazing down Callie's thigh. She flicked her tongue at the edge of short curls, breathing in deeply and almost groaning at the scent of Callie. Callie's hands dug in to her hair with a gasp, before Arizona kissed her stomach, pushing back up her body, kissing Callie again, dropping her hips down so she was pressed against her once more. Both women groaned at the contact, Arizona rocking against her, able to feel the heat of Callie, all of her, under her.

"You're so fucking wet, Callie."

Callie dug her nails into Arizona's back as she thrust against her again, "You've worked me up a little."

Arizona grinned against her lips, "Just a little?"

Callie giggled slightly, "A fuckload, actually."

Arizona smirked, elbow bracing her body on one side, other hand ono Callie's breast between them, rolling her nipple between her fingertips. The feeling of Callie spread under her, the feel of her as Arizona's centre pressed against Callie's clit, driving the rolling of her hips against her.

"I'll come like this, just so you know." Callie's hand pulled almost painfully at her hair, her voice low, words coming out between fast breaths, "You feel amazing."

Arizona slowed down, lips against Callie's cheek, "Not that there's anything wrong with that, but," She shifted one leg, straddling Callie's thigh, hissing slightly as she pressed against the taut muscle, "I really want to be in you when you come."

Callie groaned, one arm still wrapped around Arizona, fingertips digging in to the small of her back, pulling her down against her thigh. She turned her head, lips seeking Arizona's, her free hand reaching up to Arizona's hand on her breast, linking them together and pulling her hand down her stomach, guiding her hand where she wanted it.

As Arizona's hand, Callie's on top of it, slid against her, Callie's head fell back against the pillow, Arizona's eyes watching her face as she ran one finger along her slit, teasing her opening.

"Fuck." Callie's voice was loud, eyes snapping open as she pushed the one finger slowly in to her, Arizona groaning at the sensation, head dropping down to press her lips to Callie's shoulder. The hand on her back slid to her ass, pressing Arizona harder against Callie's thigh, and as she slowly built a rhythm with her hand, Arizona kept pace with her hips, so wet she slid against Callie's thigh easily. Callie brought her leg up slightly, heel digging into the mattress, guiding Arizona's rocking with her hand, her other gripping Arizona's wrist almost painfully as she moved in her.

"Arizona," Arizona loved how her name sounded coming from Callie's mouth like that. She wanted to spend forever seeing just how many ways she could make her name tumble from Callie's lips. She lifted her head, eyes taking in Callie with bruised lips, her face flushed, "More?"

Arizona grinned, lips crashing against Callie's, the kiss messy, as she kept up her slow pace, but added a second finger, curling them against Callie's walls. Callie groaned in to the kiss, hand finally letting go of Arizona's wrist to come up to grip the back of Arizona's neck, holding her to her. Arizona pulled her fingertips out almost completely before pushing all the way back in to her, slowly speeding her pace up, both of them so wet and worked up Arizona didn't know if she could last much longer. Her hips kept pace with her hand, her forehead pressed to Callie's, lips pressed against her cheeks as they panted, the odd swear word coming from Callie's lips as Arizona moved in her. Callie's hips were meeting her thrust for thrust, Arizona speeding up to meet the pace Callie set. Her own hip movements started to lose their rhythm as she felt a familiar tingling starting in her lower stomach and she sought whatever friction she could get.

She curled her fingers, meeting Callie's request for, "Fuck, harder, please" enthusiastically, loving that Callie's groaning was coming in time with the thrusting of Arizona's fingers. Callie's head fell back against the pillow, Arizona's pressing against Callie's shoulder, biting down as she felt herself start to come undone, orgasm washing over her, hips thrusting forward one last time against Callie's thigh, jerking slightly. Callie's hips were thrusting against her hand, and Arizona pressed her palm down as she came, grinding against Callie's clit as she curled her fingers, feeling her tighten around her them. Through the haze of her own orgasm, Arizona thrust them forward a final time as Callie came with with a groan, nails dragging up Arizona's back, head tilted back against the pillow, thighs shaking.

Arizona let her arm go out from under, collapsing half top of Callie and half on the bed, face against her neck. Callie's leg dropped down against the bed, turning her head to press her face into Arizona's hair. Arizona left her hand in place, not willing to lose the sensation of Callie wrapped around her just yet. She tilted her head slightly, pressing her lips to Callie's sweaty neck. Callie hummed at the feeling, hand resting on Arizona's forearm. They lay, bodies trembling slightly, their erratic breathing calming slowly.

"I think you broke me."

Arizona gave a laugh, "Right back at you." She finally gave in, slowly removing her hand, she threw her leg over Callie's hips, pressing flush against her side. She lifted her head up, resting it on her arm, face inches from Callie's. Her brown eyes were dark, soft in the light coming in off the street, a smile playing on her lips.

"You kind of broke yourself." Callie smirked and Arizona laughed again.

"True." Arizona leaned forward, lips moving against Callie's languidly.

Running her hand up Arizona's forearm across her chest, Callie gripped lightly at her bicep as Arizona pulled back, "That felt amazing, you doing that, while doing that to me."

Arizona smiled, "That whole thing felt amazing."

"You're amazing." Callie was grinning.

Arizona's smile widened, "You're a sap." She leant forward again, lips against Callie's before falling back on her arm, "Are you comfortable?"

"Incredibly so."

"Excellent." Arizona burrowed in to Callie's side further, relaxing completely in her hold, "Then we don't have to move."

Callie wrapped her arms around Arizona, pulling her against her, "Sleep?"

Arizona nodded against Callie's shoulder, "God, yes. It must be nearly five."

Callie groaned, "Call in sick tomorrow-I mean, today."

Arizona chuckled softly, "'Hunt, Hi. It's Robbins, can't come in. Instead of sleeping like we were meant to be since I was given a late start, I was busy having mind blowing sex with Torres'."

"I see nothing wrong with that."

"You wouldn't."

"Are you really sleepy?"

Arizona tilted her head up, eyes twinkling as she looked at Callie, who was smiling slyly, "Not as much as I should be."

Callie moved quickly, rolling her over so she hovered above her, "Good. Because," Callie kissed her, once, before pulling back, "I _really_ want to taste you."

Arizona actually gulped.

Sleep be damned.

####

Arizona woke to the smell of coffee and an empty bed. She stretched her arm across it to make sure, and forced her eyes open when it confirmed that the bed was definitely without Callie. Turning her head, she looked at the alarm clock and groaned when she saw it was only nine. Three hours sleep would mean she was in for a very long day.

Slipping out of bed, she pulled on a pair of pyjama shorts and a tank top, stopping via the bathroom on her way downstairs. As she washed her hands, she turned to dry them on a hand towel when something in the mirror caught her eye. Turning so her back was to the mirror, she looked over her shoulder and raised her eyebrows, a smirk playing on her lips. There was four very red lines that peeked out from the racer back of her tank. Pulling her shirt up, she peered over her shoulder again to see she had some very impressive scratch marks that started from the small of her back.

Trying not to feel a little cocky at that, Arizona pulled her shirt back down and headed downstairs.

Music reached her ears halfway down and Arizona smiled as she walked in to the kitchen to see Callie sashaying around the room, radio up loud and two mugs of coffee on the bench and eggs and bacon in a pan on the stove. Callie was wearing a pair of Arizona's shorts, far too tight and small on her, and her shirt from yesterday. Callie turned, spatula in hand, grinning when she saw Arizona standing in door frame, dancing up to her, hips moving in a way that Arizona found incredibly sexy and stupidly adorable at the same time.

Callie wrapped her arms around her waist as Arizona laughed, pressing a kiss to her lips, "Good morning."

Arizona brought her arms up around her neck, grinning, "Morning."

"I hope you don't mind." Callie nodded her head behind her to the stove, "I kind of helped myself."

"Oh, I hate it when hot women get up and make me breakfast and coffee after a night of fantastic sex." Arizona grinned, "Just terrible."

Callie swatted her backside with the spatula and danced away, turning down the radio slightly as she did so, "I do spoil you."

Arizona followed her, leaning against the bench and sipping one of the coffee's as Callie pushed the food around the pan, "You really do. By the way, I think you should wear those shorts everyday." Callie looked over her shoulder at her with raised eyebrows and wriggled her hips, causing Arizona to laugh again.

Turning, Callie put the spatula down and walked up to Arizona, pressing her back against the bench. Arizona grinned and held the coffee up against Callie's lips, tilting it back slightly and giving her a sip.

"I make good coffee."

Arizona nodded, "You really do. Another check on the girlfriend list."

Callie's eyebrows shot up and Arizona's own eyes widened as she realised what she said. They stared at each other a second.

"Uh-girlfriend?"

Arizona's eyes were still wide, "Um."

Callie swallowed quickly, trying to smile, "Stop looking like you're about to throw up. It's fine, slip of words, or whatever."

She went to turn back to the food when Arizona quickly grabbed her hand and yanked her back against her, "No, Callie. I don't want to throw up." She smiled a little, "Uh, that kind of just came out." Callie just watched her, it obvious Arizona wanted to say something, "Everything, is, complicated. My situation is complex. You know that already. I don't know how to do this, with the kids." Callie nodded slowly, "They've had so much change already, that me dating someone, having someone else who needs lots of my time, I don't know if I want to do that to them." Arizona paused, eyes looking searchingly into Callie's, "But I don't want this to stop. You-well, I have so much fun with you. You make me feel, I don't know," Arizona gave a half shrug, "You make everything make sense." She grabbed a handful of Callie's shirt, pulling her harder against her, "But we definitely aren't just messing around. If you want, I'd like to say girlfriend." She looked up at Callie from under her lashes, almost shy.

A slow smile worked its way on to Callie's lips, "You like to speechify, a little, don't you?"

Arizona raised her eyebrows, "That's what you have to say to that?"

Callie shrugged, "Well, my answer's so obvious." She leaned forward, kissing Arizona, smiling hugely, "Of course I want to be."

Arizona couldn't stop the smile that overtook her own lips, hands coming up to cup Callie's cheeks, pulling her in for another kiss. Her heart was pounding, the words that had fallen out of her mouth so unplanned, the commitment not something she had thought ahead as something she wanted at this point. She wasn't normally one to say something like that without a lot of forethought. Callie just did something to her.

Callie's hands ran to her hips, and she hooked her them around the back of Arizona's thighs, lifting her up on to the bench, Arizona's legs wrapping around her, ankles crossing to lock Callie in.

"Food?" Arizona asked between kisses.

"Fuck the food." Callie practically growled, pushing her hand up under Arizona's tank top, hand going automatically to her breast.

Arizona arched her back, pulling at Callie's shirt, lifting it up. Just as she was about to yank it over her head, groaning at the feel of Callie's fingers on her nipple, a knock sounded from the front door.

They both paused almost comically, eyes wide. Callie pulled back slightly, "Expecting someone?"

Arizona shook her head, "It's probably Mom, needing something for Toby or something."

Callie sighed and stepped back, tugging her shirt down and turning to the stove, turning it off.

"Alright, you get the door, I'm going upstairs to the bathroom, then we eat?"

Arizona was still sitting on the bench, "Or we can resume on the kitchen bench then eat?"

Callie grinned, looking over her shoulder on her way out the door, eying her flirtatiously, "Deal."

Arizona watched her walk out, tugging her own shirt back in to place, jumping down to go answer the door, a stupid grin on her face.

That woman really would be the death of her.

####


	16. Chapter 16

**Title: **Changes  
**Author: **gabs88  
**Pairing: **Callie/Arizona  
**Summary: **When Arizona's brother dies in a car crash with his wife, she is named guardian of his two children. What does this mean for the life of someone who never wanted her own kids, let alone anyone elses?  
**Rating: **M  
**Disclaimer: **All characters belong to ABC/Shonda Rhimes.  
**Note**: :O Who is at the door!? Hehe.

Thanks so much for the ongoing reviews, they're all such a pleasure to read. You guys make me blushie, you're all so lovely.

Now, updates may start to slow down. I am really sorry for this, I'm off on an adventure (I'm not sorry about that part :D). But, this story is important to me and not something I'll stop writing-there'll be lots of airport time and train trips I'll need to keep myself occupied on. So don't fret, they will still happen :)

Note the M warning.

**Changes  
Chapter Sixteen**

Tugging at her tank top to make sure it was actually pulled back down, Arizona pondered for a moment as she went to answer the door that she actually missed Ella and Toby and it had been less than twenty four hours since she'd seen them, but it was kind of true. Ella would be loudly running for the door and Toby would be trying to scale her legs as she tried to get there before Ella.

Arizona pulled the door open, eye brows raising when she saw who was standing there.

"Uh-"

Sally's mother stood on the porch (Arizona was still amused sometimes that she owned a house with a porch-how incredibly adult), awkward and looking uncomfortable. She was a mousy woman, Arizona's height, greying auburn hair cut in a fairly stylish bob. In her hands was a plastic bag, overly full. She looked Arizona up and down, one eyebrow arched, managing a small smile.

"Arizona-hi."

Arizona swallowed, "Hi, Mrs Larsen."

"Call me Cathy, Arizona."

Arizona nodded, giving a smile, "Right. Cathy. This is unexpected-did you want to come in?"

Cathy stayed put, looking behind Arizona questioningly, "I thought I'd come to see my grandchildren. Ella would be at school, I know. But I thought I could say hi to Toby."

Arizona was surprised. Where was the phone call beforehand? The warning? Sally had loudly, and drunkenly, expressed her desire to not have her parents be a part of her childrens lives at all, if she could have her way. They saw them on important occasions with the odd smattering of visits over the year, and that was all as far as Arizona was aware. Despite this knowledge, she felt herself softening slightly towards the uncomfortable looking woman standing in front of her-her daughter had died, she was probably wanting to make a connection to all that was left of her.

"I'm really sorry, Cathy, Toby's with my Mom. He'd normally be in day care right now, anyway. Are you sure you don't want to come in?"

Cathy ignored the last part of her question, "He's not here? And what do you mean, in daycare?"

"Well, it's Friday, I'm normally at work, so he goes to the daycare there."

"You don't stay home with him?"

Arizona's eyebrows raised at the question, "Um, no. I'm a paediatric surgeon, I work full time."

Cathy nodded to herself, "Oh. I thought Sally stayed at home with them."

"She did."

They stood for a moment, Arizona unsure of what was going on.

"Yet you aren't working today?"

"I start at twelve." Why was she explaining herself to this woman?

"So why on earth would Toby not be here."

Arizona was starting to get a little bit irritated. She stood straighter, leveling her shoulders, careful to watch her tone, "There was an emergency at the hospital, I had to stay late last night."

Arizona suddenly found herself hoping that Callie wouldn't come down the stairs in those stupidly sexy tiny shorts.

Cathy's expression didn't alter, eyebrows slightly raised at what Arizona said, "I see."

Arizona opened her mouth to make excuses, to say it was a rare occurence, this the first time. She closed it though. She didn't have to explain herself to this woman.

Instead she said, "You're welcome to see the kids, Cathy. Maybe a call beforehand would be best, however?" She kept her voice light, trying to not sound confrontational.

Cathy nodded, holding out the bag for Arizona to take, "I bought over some toys for them. Would you mind giving them to them?" Her face was so blank, Arizona didn't know what to think.

She took the bag, "Of course. I'm happy to. They'll be super excited."

Cathy nodded once, opening her mouth to say something, but distracted by the sound of footsteps, looking behind Arizona again to see who was coming down the stairs. Arizona closed her eyes briefly and took in a deep breath.

_Of course._

Cathy's look had finally altered, just slightly. Arizona saw her eyes harden, small polite smile on her lips.

Arizona looked over her shoulder, suddenly incredibly grateful her back was away from Cathy, scratches hidden. She was careful to not turn side on. Callie was walking down the stairs, those shorts looking even tinier on her amazing legs, shirt in slight disarray. Arizona was just thankful it covered the bite mark she knew was on her shoulder, though Callie was sporting very distinct bed hair. Arizona was fairly certain she herself looked like she had just rolled out of bed after a night of sex and little sleep.

This was not going well.

Callie caught her eye, giving her a curious look before smiling as her sight reached Cathy standing on the porch. She smiled widely, friendly Callie as always. Stopping at the bottom of the stairs, obviously not knowing who was at the door and if she should walk forward. She settled for leaning against the banister at the bottom, self consciously tugging at the shorts, smile still wide.

"Uh, hi." She directed at Cathy.

Arizona finally turned her head back to look at Cathy, trying not to roll her eyes at the hardened look.

Cathy looked to Arizona then back to Callie, not taking her eyes off her, "Hello." Her voice was cool.

Arizona wanted her gone. This was uncomfortable, and Arizona, from what she knew of the woman, could tell she was currently having her entire lifestyle judged.

"Cathy, this is Callie. Callie," She looked over her shoulder again, widening her eyes slightly at Callie before neutralising her expression, "This is Sally's mom, Cathy."

Callie's smile, to her credit, didn't falter. Arizona had mentioned Sally's parents to her at their first dinner date, "Pleasure to meet you, Cathy."

Arizona looked back to Cathy, who nodded again, "I'm sure."

Cathy turned to Arizona, eyes hardening properly, "I wasn't born yesterday." Arizona almost stepped backwards, away from that look, " always wondered about you."

Arizona dug her fingers harder in to the door knob it was resting on. She had, before this, been incredibly lucky and never had true bigotry directed at her. She was not enjoying it. "I think it might be best for you to leave, Cathy."

She could almost feel Callie's hesitation behind her, as if unsure if she should stand besides Arizona or stay put. Arizona was relieved she seemed to be staying put.

Cathy's lips had paled slightly, "I agree. Please, give those gifts to my grandchildren."

Arizona nodded, "Of course." Her heart was racing in her ears.

Cathy turned, walking down the steps. At the bottom, she stopped, turning to face Arizona again. As she stood there, the light hitting her face, Arizona could see the red sheen in he hair that had been given to Sally and Ella, and could almost see Sally in her features. The sight knotted her stomach.

"Arizona, you should really think about what's best for those two children." Arizona's nails bit in to the door handle harder.

"That's all I do, Cathy."

The answer was quick, "I've not seen much that says that."

Cathy took her in for a minute, eyes squinting in the bright light, before turning on her heel and walking down the front walk.

Arizona let out a long breath, lips pursing as she blew the air out. She closed her eyes for a second, trying to calm her racing heart. She turned, closing the door behind her, looking at Callie who was staring at her with raised eyebrows.

"How dare she?" Callie's voice burst out and Arizona almost jumped.

Arizona looked at her, head titled.

"Aren't you livid, Arizona? How dare she come to _your _house and have a go at you like that." Callie threw her hands in the air.

Arizona almost smiled. Callie stepped forward, "And she was so smarmy! Smiling all cold while glaring at us both like we were a pair of hussies."

Arizona finally spoke, "Well, that was all just spectacular timing, wasn't it?"

Callie paused and actually cracked a smile, "It was."

"I mean, of course the zealously religious grandmother of the kids I've taken on shows up when I've left the kids with my mother to stay at work in the wee hours of the morning and then had loud lesbian sex in the house her daughter lived in."

Callie actually laughed out loud, "How are you calm?"

Arizona shrugged, "I'm not. At all." She really wasn't, "But, that was nothing compared to stories Sally told me." Arizona stepped forward, hand gripping Callie's and pulling her forward against her, "I'm not okay with being judged like that, but that's just who she is. She would've found out I'm gay eventually."

"Yeah, but-" Callie was cut of by Arizona's lips. When she pulled back, Callie was smiling, "Is it weird that I'm totally okay with being shut up like that?"

Arizona shrugged, "No."

"Good."

Arizona started pushing her backward, kissing her once before speaking, "We have a couple of hours before I have to drag my tired ass to work. Counter?" She gave Callie a charming grin.

"Then food. That was the deal."

Arizona nodded, "I can get on board with that."

Callie grabbed her by the hips as they walked through the kitchen doorway, spinning Arizona so her back hit the bench when they stumbled to it.

Callie leaned back, appraising her with her eyes.

"Okay, shorts off."

Arizona was more than happy to comply.

####

"Someone's happy."

Arizona tried to wipe the smile off her face that had been a permanent resident since arriving to work. It was three pm, she'd only been at work three hours, but she was feeling dead on her feet, the last two days catching up to her. It didn't stop the grin, however, which she was still trying to get off her face.

She handed cash to the coffee attendant and turned to look at Teddy, standing in front of her with her eyebrows raised, hands in her lab coat pocket.

"Arizona, go back to smiling, you looking like you've sucked on a lemon but you secretly enjoyed it."

Arizona quickly relaxed her face, "Can we add a skinny latte to that order?" She asked the attendant, handing over more cash.

Teddy smiled her thanks, and they stepped to the side to wait for their orders. Teddy eyed her for a second and Arizona looked at her with innocent eyes.

"You had sex."

Arizona's eyes widened and she whipped her head around, thankful to see no one in earshot.

Teddy gave a laugh, "Well, that answered that."

Arizona opened her mouth to argue, but shut it with a shrug, trying to cover a smile.

"About time you two got there. Worth the wait?"

"Definitely."

"You're not going to give me details, are you?"

Arizona shook her head, cheeks hurting from trying to dampen down her smile.

"Not one? Help a widow out."

"Are you playing the widow card?"

Teddy nodded, "Without shame, too."

Arizona narrowed her eyes at her, "What do you want to know?"

"Was it as good as you'd think it would be, considering watching you do something simple like hold a door open for her led to you oozing sex?"

"We aren't that bad!"

"Oh, it was that bad."

Arizona rolled her eyes playfully, "Yes, it was that amazing."

"The widow card won't get me anymore information than that, will it?"

"Nope."

"You look disgustingly happy."

"I shouldn't, I only slept three hours."

"Ha! Detail. I win."

Arizona laughed as she accepted their coffees, handing one over to Teddy. They turned and started heading to paeds, moving to the elevator. Teddy bumped her hip playfully against Arizona's.

"I'm glad you showed up. I've never seen Callie so happy."

Arizona turned and looked at her, "Really?"

Teddy nodded, "Really."

Arizona sipped her coffee a little smugly.

"Did you go home last night at all?" Arizona leant with her back against the elevator wall, Teddy next to her.

"Got caught up. I got a little sleep in an on call room."

Arizona looked sideways at her, voice gentle, "Maybe you should move, Teddy."

Teddy swallowed hard, "Not yet."

Arizona nodded, looking at the lights on the buttons, "Okay." It was silent a moment, and Arizona could tell Teddy needed a topic change and was coming up blank. She said the thing that first popped in to her head.

"Wanna come for a sleep over?"

Teddy laughed, "What?"

"Come for a sleep over. Again."

"Well, the last one wasn't intentional."

"Yeah, but you and Ella asleep on the couch was cute as hell."

"That kid is cute as hell." Teddy led the way out of the elevators as the doors opened, "When?"

Arizona smiled softly as she sipped her coffee, glad Teddy was in, "What about tomorrow night? Saturday night is a big night in kid world."

"How so?"

"Well, Ella doesn't really have a bed time. Exciting stuff."

Teddy laughed, "Count me in. Will Callie come? Oh! Girl night!"

Arizona had been thinking of attempting to move a little slow, not see Callie too much, focus on the kids. But then Teddy's eyes lit up like they just did, and she didn't think she could say no.

Laughing, she asked, "What about Tobes?"

"He's under five, he doesn't count. And he sleeps early."

"Fair call. I'll ask Callie."

"As if she'd say no."

Arizona rolled her eyes, following Teddy in to the PICU.

####

"So I get to see Doctor Callie _and _Teddy tonight?"

Arizona laughed as she chopped carrot, "Yup."

"_And_ I get to see Doctor Callie on Monday to take of my cast?"

Arizona laughed again, adding the carrot on to the plate with the crackers, cheese and dip she was compiling.

"You definitely do."

"Awesome!"

Ella spun on her heel and dashed out, careening upstairs and yelling about getting in to her pyjama's. Arizona couldn't help but think that Callie may have a point that Ella was a little bit like her. She just needed a pair of Heelies.

Shaking her head, Arizona looked down at her feet where Toby was currently pulling at her laces.

"Hungry, little man?"

Toby looked up at her, neck craning and blue eyes huge, grinning as he tried to shove her shoe lace in to his mouth. Arizona bent down and pulled it out, lifting him up and on to her hip. His little hand grasped at her tank top.

"Want some pasta?"

He widened his eyes at her, "Pata?"

She widened her eyes back at him, "Pasta! Hey, that's a new word. Too clever for your own good, you are." She walked him around the bench and plopped him in to his high chair, putting a carrot stick down to keep him occupied while she reheated some of the pasta from a previous evening. He looked down at it, tiny eyebrows scrunched together.

"Pata?"

She laughed, "It's coming, Tobes."

He eyed her for a minute as if to make sure she was telling the truth, watching her walk to the fridge and pull out the bowl. He finally smiled, picking up the carrot stick and only hitting himself in the cheek once while he aimed for his mouth.

Putting a small bowl into the microwave to reheat, Arizona tried not to over think her situation, something she was failing at.

Callie was coming over for girls night. She was having a sleepover with Teddy. However, she'd left the sleepover part out when telling Callie, just mentioning girls night with the three of them and Ella (and Toby). She would love nothing more than for Callie to stay over, knowing the evening would be a lot of fun for her. However, the idea of her staying the night filled her with dread. She didn't think they should be doing sleepovers yet. They were new, and she had her heart set on not confusing the kids. Teddy staying, passing out on the couch, was one thing. But Callie staying, in her bed? A completely different thing.

Ella had squealed, "Teddy's sleeping over?!"

Arizona had nodded.

"And Doctor Callie!?"

Arizona had hesitated, "I don't think we have enough beds, sweetie. But Teddy will stay."

Pouting, Ella had asked, "Why doesn't she just share your bed?"

Kids made things difficult, sometimes, in their overly innocent way. She knows technically Ella had made it easier for her, but something about having Callie stay over, for now, made her uneasy about the idea. Down the road, between her and Callie, if this kept going, it was something that she'd have to get over. But for now, so new, the kids and her still healing, it wasn't something she was willing to push. The kids needed stability. In truth, so did she.

The microwave beeping pulled her out of her reverie and Arizona pulled out the just warm pasta, a dish even she couldn't mess up, gave it a quick stir and put it in front of Toby. She sat in the chair next to him, to watch him attempt him feed himself and eventually take over so he actually got food, since his efforts generally led to food on the floor, in his hair and on his lap.

She was just spooning the first spoon in when she heard Ella thundering down the stairs again, pyjama clad and practically bouncing, climbing up on a chair opposite Arizona,"I got my pj's on and I brought some stuff to make Doctor Callie and Teddy a card and do you think we can have ice cream after pizza tonight-wait, what DVD can we watch? Can we watch two?"

Arizona blinked at Toby, who was looking at her with an equally bemused expression. Both of them turned to look at Ella, Toby's mouth still hanging open as he leaned forward for the spoon, staring at Ella like he'd never met her before. Arizona blindly put the spoon in his mouth and tried to figure out what to say to Ella's overly excited speech.

"Uh-wow. Slow down Ella Bella. We can try for two DVD's, though we may sit in here for the start of the first one, okay?"

Ella looked absolutely devastated and almost dropped her pencil, "What? Why?"

Arizona felt a little terrible, "We might have a glass of wine and talk about work."

Ella screwed her nose up, "Ew. Work."

"Exactly. Work." Arizona laughed, spooning more food in to Toby's mouth, "But, I promise we won't be too long and we'll all come snuggle on the couch with you, okay? You can eat your pizza in there in front of the TV and we'll have ours here, then we'll all hang out."

Acceptably happy, Ella nodded, wriggling in her chair in excitement, "I can really eat dinner in front of the TV?"

Arizona winked at her, "This once."

The kid was going to burst with the excitement of it all.

Ella chatted all the while colouring, while Toby happily finished up his dinner. When he got to the stage of clamping his mouth shut and shaking hs head adamantly, Arizona wiped his face down and put him on the ground to go and reign unholy terror just as the doorbell rang.

"They're here!"

Ella almost felt out of her chair in the attempt to get out of it, bolting off to the front door.

"Ella!"

"Check who it is first, I know!"

Grinning as she followed, she heard excited words and the door swing open to show Teddy and Callie, Teddy clutching a bottle of wine and Callie holding pizza, Arizona figuring she'd actually take them up on the 'what shall we bring?' question.

"Hi!" Ella squealed.

Both Callie and Teddy smiled down at the over excited girl, Teddy stepping forward to have arms wrapped around her waist.

"Ella! Ready to share the couch again?

Ella giggled, looking up at Teddy, absolutely delighted she was there, "Silly, I have a bed."

Teddy's mouth dropped open in fake shock, looking up to Arizona, "Did I just get rejected by a seven year old?"

Callie poked her in the back gently with the two pizza boxes she was holding, "Afraid so, Teddy."

Ella shook her head, "No! I'll share the couch with you. Can we make pancakes in the morning again?"

"We sure can."

Ella, typically a child, then threw herself on Callie, at first with one hundred percent attention on Teddy and now dropping her for the next one.

"Doctor Callie!"

Teddy grinned and made her way to Arizona, kissing her cheek and handing over the wine, "I come bareing wine."

Arizona smiled, "Thankyou."

"Doctor Callie, you're taking my cast off before school on Monday."

Callie smiled, "Am I? I'll have to check with my personal assistant that I can make it and I'm not all booked out."

Ella's face fell, "You might not be there?"

"Kidding Ella, it's written in my diary! Of course I'll be there."

Teddy walked in to the kitchen, Ella turning, holding Callie's free hand and dragging her with her to follow Teddy. Callie was dragged past Arizona, grinning all the while and Arizona just wanted to kiss her, she looked so delicious in her leather jacket. They both settled for smiles and completely enamored "Hey's", Callie's arm brushing Arizona's front as she walked past.

They managed to eventually settle Ella down with some slices of pizza and Aladdin playing, the three women entering the kitchen to eat their own dinner, have a glass of wine and dissect Arizona's cheese plate. Toby sat happily on Arizona's lap, starting to look sleepy, leaning back heavily against her as he chewed on a cracker.

"So, I said hi to Hunt today."

Callie tried to hide her surprised expression, sipping her wine to wash down a mouthful of pizza, "Yeah? How did that go?"

Teddy shrugged, eyeing off her food. Arizona sometimes noticed she had food in front of her, never really putting it in her mouth, "Fine. I even said 'have a nice day'."

Arizona smiled at her, "That's great Teddy."

Teddy gave another half shrug, finally taking a bit of pizza, "So, you two are finally sleeping together."

Callie literally spat out her wine and Arizona choked on her pizza, looking pointedly down to Toby.

"Oh, please, Arizona, he's almost asleep and he's sixteen months. He doesn't know what I mean."

"Bo-bo." Toby murmured around his cracker.

Teddy raised her eyebrows, "See."

Arizona squeezed Toby against her, seeing Callie give her a soft smile as she did so, "He's asking for his bottle, he's a little genius. See, he completely knows what's going on."

Teddy and Callie laughed, Callie using a napkin to wipe up her spat wine.

Callie fake glared at Teddy as Arizona got up and got Toby's bottle ready, sleepy boy with his head on her shoulder, "No talk about s-e-x in front of the baby."

Teddy rolled her eyes, "You two just want to hold out on details. I already know you were going at it pretty much all night!"

Callie whipped her head to Arizona, "You told her that?" She was caught between looking appalled at the over share and smug.

Arizona looked at her wide eyed as she put the bottle into a jug of hot water to warm it up, "What! No, I just said _I_ only got three hours sleep. Teddy's dirty little brain took it elsewhere."

Callie looked to Teddy, narrowing her eyes as Teddy leaned back in her chair, drinking wine happily, "You, are evil, Altman."

"You're just so easy to rile up."

Chuckling, Arizona started to walk out of the kitchen, "I'll be right back, guys, just going to put Tobes down. Say g'night, Toby."

Toby lifted his head up from Arizona's shoulder and waved his hand, "Bye-bye."

Callie and Teddy both melted and Arizona walked out leaving two aching wombs behind.

"You certainly help with the ladies, little man." Toby rest his head back on her shoulder and yawned.

Arizona got him down with no fuss, hoping he slept through tonight. She left him tucked up with his blue blanket under one arm and bottle in his mouth, eyes already closed.

She emerged in to the kitchen with a newly topped up glass of wine. This was quickly going to end badly.

"Are you two getting drunk to make it through Disney?"

Callie laughed, "We're already both self confessed kids movie lovers."

"True." Arizona shrugged, "I didn't know how much I liked them until recently."

"Maybe that's another fault on your ability to look after the kids." Callie winked at her as she reached for a cracker.

Arizona laughed, "Yeah, maybe." At Teddy's confused expression, Arizona filled her in, "We may have had a visit from Sally's mom at an inconvenient time."

"The bigot we don't like?" Arizona nodded, and Teddy grimaced, "Please tell me you were clothed?"

Smirking, Arizona shrugged, "Mostly. It was more the timing-she stopped in to see the kids just before nine am. Instead she got me, Callie in shorts that may as well be underwear, the kids 'dumped' at my mothers and me a full time worker. She was _not _impressed."

"Yikes. What she do?"

Arizona looked to Callie, who was happy to jump in, "Gave stony 'death to you all' eyes. Implied Arizona wasn't good for the kids."

Teddy seemed to not find it as amusing as Arizona was able to find it now, "Are you _fucking_ kidding me?"

Callie nodded, happy Teddy was as outraged as she was, "Sadly, no. Arizona was awesome though, she was all 'you should really think about what's best for the kids, Arizona' and Arizona was all smooth and 'that's all I ever do'." Arizona rolled her eyes as Callie threw her a look, "It was sexy as hell, actually."

"Break up the eye sex."

They tore their eyes away and looked at Teddy slightly sheepishly, "Sorry, Teddy."

"At least you stood up for yourself."

Arizona shrugged, "I know how to. Besides, she's just an angry lady filled with angry words. It doesn't matter."

"You're not mad?"

"That's what I asked!" Callie was almost finished her second glass of wine.

"I was-I am, even. But it was also kind of funny and ironic and it doesn't matter. I need to let it go, she'll still be a part of the kids lives, at least a little, I'm not going to keep them away from each other completely. So, I'll just think she's an idiot but play nice."

Teddy nodded, "Very mature."

"I can be, sometimes."

They slowly finished their wine, Arizona soaking up being in the company of two people she was quickly coming to find as integral. The three had an easy banter, a way of talking things over without getting serious. Arizona was just relieved Teddy ate two pieces of pizza and would be staying somewhere not the hospital.

They eventually stood up after the third cry of, "Come _on, _guys!" from the lounge room. Flopping on to the modular couch, Teddy was next to Ella, who immediately crawled on to her lap, head resting back on her shoulder, Teddy wrapping her arms around her. Arizona couldn't help but smile at the two-she was quickly learning that a cuddle from Ella or Toby made anything feel a little better.

Callie sat next to Teddy, Ella not taking her eyes off the screen but throwing her arm out to rest on Callie's leg and Arizona sat next to Callie, dragging a giant blanket over all of them.

Who would have thought sitting at home with kids and DVD's on a Saturday night would be something she'd enjoy so much?

They were all pressed in close, and when Aladdin finished, Arizona lost three to one in Monsters Inc versus Fox and the Hound, Monsters Inc winning because it made everyone less sad. They settled in for the movie, debating favourite characters and gasping theatrically at the mean monster.

Halfway through, silence settled down over them as Ella began to slowly succumb to heavy lids. Teddy pulled her down so the small girl was lying in front of her, basically spooning her, both sharing a pillow and blinking tiredly.

Arizona rolled her eyes at the absolute cuteness that was those two. She nudged Callie and then looked to Ella and Teddy, Callie following her eyes. She smiled softly and looked back to Arizona, "That's actually ridiculous." She whispered.

Arizona nodded, leaning more heavily in to Callie now Ella was starting to drift off. Callie's hand rest on her thigh, thumb rubbing small circles. A touch that started off as sweet and comforting, soon started to make Arizona's mind wander to what else they could be doing. She glanced back to the two girls and saw Ella was out and Teddy was probably soon going to follow.

Would it really be so bad if they snuck upstairs quickly?

She looked to Callie, who was grinning at her like she'd read her mind.

They stared blankly at the TV another ten minutes, Callie's hand slowly working its way up her inner thigh, never actually touching her but the teasing making Arizona have to focus incredibly hard and not breathing too erratically.

Arizona finally tore her eyes from the TV, looked to see that Teddy was fast asleep and snoring softly, Ella curled against her front. She grabbed the hand that had been torturing her, standing and pulling Callie after her. They both ran up the stairs, careful to keep their footsteps quiet. Arizona, pulling her through the doorway in to her room, tugging Callie in after her, shut the door quietly and grinned as Callie backed her against it gently, both aware of not making any thumping noises.

The whole being quiet but burning with need thing was just making Arizona hotter.

She bit her lip as Callie pressed her against the door and Callie actually gave a soft moan, "Seriously, you have no idea how fucking hot you look when you do that."

Arizona grinned at her, "And you have no idea how much you just touching my thigh works me up."

Callie leaned forward, lips inches from her own, "I can _show_ you how much simply touching you like that affects me."

Arizona tilted her head, lips whispering against Callie's, their eyes intent on each other, "We have to be quick." She murmured.

Callie smirked, "I don't think that'll be an issue."

Her lips were pressed to hers, teeth dragging of her bottom lip, tongue pushed in to her mouth. Arizona responded, just as eager, thighs between legs as they rocked against each other, both careful to not make a sound.

Callie's hand was up her shirt, pushed under her bra and her thumb swiped against her nipple, Arizona arching her back at the sensation. She dragged her nails across the small of Callie's back, swallowing Callie's groan. She pulled back, hand going to Callie's pants and easily unbuttoning the top button, slowly pulling down the zip, "Shh."

Callie dropped her head on to her shoulder, biting her lip as Arizona pushed her hand down past her underwear.

"Fuck, Callie."

Callie lifted her head up, "It's what you do to me."

Arizona kissed her, grabbing Callie's hand from under her shirt and pushing it past her waistband, hissing as Callie's fingers pressed against her.

Callie groaned in to the kiss again, "You're so wet."

Arizona brought her hand up, wrapping it behind Callie's neck and holding their foreheads together, Callie's spare hand wrapped around her waist and holding them steady.

Their movements were rushed, almost rough. As Callie pushed two fingers into her, Arizona dropped her head back, Callie's lips pressing to her neck, trying not to bite so hard as to mark. She pressed her fingers more firmly against Callie, feeling her teeth bite down harder and Arizona couldn't control the movement of her hips as Callie moved her fingers.

She brought her head down, face pressing in to Callie's shoulder, breath hot and fast against her skin, "Faster, Callie."

Callie pressed her lips harder, trying to smother own groan as she did what Arizona asked of her. Arizona sped her own fingers up, their rhythm lost as they both started to come undone.

Arizona came first, leg lifted up, wrapping around Callie, hips rolling forward. Callie's own orgasm washing over her a minute later, Arizona's name tumbling from her lips in a whispered groan.

Their breathing erratic, Arizona dropped her leg to ground and her head fell back against the door, cheeks red and a giggle escaping from her lips.

Callie grinned almost lazily, eyes slightly glazed, "What?" She murmured.

Arizona brought her head up, eyes looking in to Callie's, almost black now, "I've never come that fast."

Callie kissed her, not bothering to pull back as she nodded, "That was intense."

"I can't feel my leg."

"I think I have finger nail marks in the back of my neck."

Arizona grimaced, "Sorry."

"Sorry? It was hot."

They stood for a few more minutes before Arizona finally sighed, "I think now is where I sneak you out."

Callie actually laughed, "I don't think you have to sneak me out when they know I'm here."

"True."

"I know I'm not going to stay the night, Arizona."

Arizona looked at her almost guiltily, "That obvious, huh?"

Callie smiled, brushing slightly dampened hair of her cheek, hand hovering against it, "I get it."

Arizona tilted her head, hand coming up rest on Callie's wrist, fingers wrapping around it gently, "You are far too understanding."

Callie shrugged, "I don't think so."

"Well, you are."

Arizona kissed her again, trying to convey emotion that always welled in her chest when Callie seemed to just _get_ what was going on. Callie smiled in to the kiss, and they parted, both smiling stupidly.

"Okay, lets go downstairs or I'm going to push you on to the bed and I'll never leave."

"That really doesn't make me want to go downstairs."

Callie shrugged, "Good."

They smiled, slipping out the door, Callie excusing herself to the bathroom and Arizona slipping quietly in to her brothers old room to use the en suite. She only paused for a moment at the threshold, before walking in. Washing her hands, she tried to not smirk at her flushed cheeks, quickly rearranging her hair to it's pre-romp neatness.

She met Callie at the landing, hands entwining and Callie led the way down the stairs quietly. They both peeked in to the living room and chuckled to see the two girls hadn't moved, Monsters Inc still playing quietly on the screen.

Opening the door for Callie to walk through, Arizona brought a hand up to cup her check, holding her still while she leaned, pressing her lips to Callie's in a chaste goodbye.

"Talk tomorrow?"

Arizona nodded, "Definitely."

"I'm looking forward to seeing the munchkin on Monday."

Rolling her eyes, Arizona laughed, "So is she, trust me, Doctor Callie."

Callie grinned and finally stepped through the doorway, "Bye. Sleep well."

"I will now."

She heard Callie's chuckle as she disappeared down the walk towards her car.

Closing the door and trying to contain a contented sigh, Arizona walked in to the living room and shut off the TV. She turned and made sure Teddy and Ella were completely covered with the blanket before making her way out of the room.

"You're not kidding anyone."

Arizona froze and turned back to the couch. Teddy had her head propped up on her hand, elbow digging in to the couch, voice low so as not to wake up Ella. She was grinning, eyebrows raised.

"Oh, shut up Teddy."

Teddy's soft laughter followed her up the stairs.

####


	17. Chapter 17

**Title: **Changes  
**Author: **gabs88  
**Pairing: **Callie/Arizona  
**Summary: **When Arizona's brother dies in a car crash with his wife, she is named guardian of his two children. What does this mean for the life of someone who never wanted her own kids, let alone anyone elses?  
**Rating: **M  
**Disclaimer: **All characters belong to ABC/Shonda Rhimes.  
**Note**: Thanks for the patience guys :), I know it's been a little while. Thanks to those that have asked after my adventuring-I'm having a blast! And thank you for all the amazing words and ongoing alerts! I'm glad you're all still reading and enjoying. And thanks to Author's Tune for the advice on this one :)

**Changes  
Chapter Seventeen**

Despite the bad taste Sally's mother had left in her mouth, Arizona had started to feel an amazing sense of calm settle over her. Over the week after their Ladies Night, the kids settled further into their new routine, while Arizona did the same.

Only, this time she was adjusting to having Callie very much situated in her life.

They had more than their fair share of on call room trysts, sometimes emerging twenty minutes later, flushed and adjusting their pants and others, sneaking out after a full couple of hours had passed, having yanked all their clothing on to answer an incessant pager.

Callie was something Arizona just couldn't get enough of. They learnt each other, mapped their bodies, until sometimes, during sex, Arizona wasn't sure where Callie ended and she began. They'd move, coming together urgently, a dance Arizona would feel coming when she first walked through the doors in the morning to see Callie smiling, holding out a coffee.

On days they had more than twenty minutes, they'd lie on the ridiculously stupid single bed and lose themselves in conversation.

It amazed Arizona, that someone could make her feel this physically wired and could also be the reason she could calm down, someone she could immerse herself in talk with.

They still managed to keep the physical side of their relationship away from the kids, Callie acting no different than Teddy would when she was over. During that week, she was over three times, staying for dinner, reading a delighted Ella bed time stories, now cast free, and would be gone when they woke up, the kids thinking nothing of it. Teddy was stopping in for dinner more and more often, enjoying regular cuddles with Toby, who had taken to her amazingly.

The Friday night, the third night Callie had been over that week, Callie and Arizona were wrapped in her sheets at midnight, blanket on the floor. Arizona languidly ran her calf up Callie's, smiling, cheeks flushed.

"You know," Arizona pressed her lips to Callie's clavicle, "someone told me something last week."

"Mmm?" Callie turned her head, her face against Arizona's hair.

"They said they'd never seen you happier than the last couple of months."

"Bloody Teddy." Arizona could hear the smile in Callie's voice as she said it.

Arizona giggled, "I'm just-I'm glad. That I make you happy."

"Good." Callie murmured, "Because you really, really do."

Callie rolled suddenly, Arizona now under her, head perched on her hand, elbow digging in to the pillow. Their legs slipped easily together, Arizona smiling up at Callie. Her smile faded at the intense look that had taken over Callie's face.

"You keep saying thanks to me, for being understanding, and for everything." Arizona was mesmerised by the way Callie's lips moved, the way her eyes darkened, "But you have no idea how grateful I am that you ran me over with a shopping cart."

Callie smiled and Arizona gave a slight laugh, "So glad I bruised you."

The smile still played on Callie's lips, "So was I. I went to that party and told Mark I'd been run over by the hottest blonde I'd ever seen." Arizona rolled her eyes and Callie stamped a kiss to her cheeks, "You are, moron."

"You're just saying that because I put out."

"True."

They both laughed and Callie let the smile slowly fade, "I mean it though, and Teddy was just being polite in her wording-you really have made me so stupidly happy. It wasn't just that I wasn't as happy before, I was actually just coming out of a patch of being pretty miserable."

Arizona's face darkened with concern, "Miserable?"

Callie nodded, "I had my divorce, which is one of the most humiliating things I'd gone through, and then Erica. Well, I came out of that left in a car park-she just disappeared."

Arizona raised her hand up, pushing Callie's hair behind her ear and letting the tendrils play between her fingers, laying back and listening to Callie talk. She knew most of this, but it had mostly come out in banter.

Callie leaned in to the touch slightly as she continued, "After that, I was a mess. I even considered sleeping with Mark again," Arizona made a face and Callie poked her tongue out at her, "I know, I know-I didn't, just so you know." Arizona relaxed the expression on her face-Callie had told her about her sex friendship with Mark early on, and it was something she strangely was okay with, after much reassurance from Callie that that was long over, "He was enamoured with Lexie, and I just-I wanted something more, than that. Then came Jaime, and that was probably the most functional relationship I ever had."

"None of the others were at all?" Arizona splayed her hand against the small of Callie's back, holding her against her.

Callie thought for a moment, "Not really. George had it's moments. Erica could have been, but for the ending."

Arizona nodded, "So Jaime was?"

"Yeah. We dated, we took our time. We were together almost a year."

"What happened?" It was the only relationship Callie hadn't gone in to huge detail about the ending, and Arizona hoped it wouldn't make her as pissed off at someone she didn't even know like the other two had.

Callie gave a half hearted shrug, "I don't even really know. I didn't really, _feel_ it with her. It was fun, and she made me comfortable in my own skin, which was refreshing. But...well, it wasn't this." Callie finished the sentence with nuzzle against Arizona's neck, and Arizona wrapped her arms harder around her waist.

Callie's nose ran against her cheek, her lips pressing once against her mouth as Arizona felt her thumb graze her jaw line as they kissed softly. Callie pulled back, eyes soft.

"This is pretty amazing."

"It is."

They held eye contact, both with small smiles on their lips, skin to skin . Arizona felt almost breathless with the feeling that bubbled up in her chest.

"Were you miserable after Jaime?"

Callie shrugged again, "Not miserable-I don't know what to call it. I was in a rut, the ending with Jaime, it made me wonder if I was ever going to find something that actually made me happy. Everyone around me was loved up, and I was alone and I threw myself in to work and my research." Callie smiled, "It wasn't until I met you, that I realised that I really hadn't been that happy for quite awhile. I met you, and I couldn't stop smiling."

Arizona didn't know what to say to that.

"Arizona, you make me more than happy. You make hard days better, you make _everything_ better."

Arizona wrapped her leg around Callie's hips, flipping them over smoothly, settling between Callie's legs and kissing her with an intensity that that left them both gasping.

"What was that for?" Callie asked, hands entwining in her hair as Arizona moved her lips against Callie's neck.

Arizona couldn't answer her, emotion swelling in her throat. Instead, she raised her head again, lips crashing against Callie's, fingers biting in to the skin of her hip. Callie returned the kiss in kind, both hands holding Arizona's face against her.

Arizona tried to show Callie as she slid her fingers into the slick heat of her, Callie arching against her, all the things this woman made her feel and more.

It was two hours later that Callie finally rolled her way out of the bed, Arizona on her stomach, chin resting on her forearm, laying with her head down the wrong end of the bed. Her legs were bent at the knees, ankles crossed, feet in the air. Callie smiled down at her as she pulled on her underwear, jeans coming on after them.

"I think you should pull that sheet off."

Arizona smirked, "It's barely covering me."

Callie leaned down, pressing a kiss to Arizona's bare shoulder as she did up her jeans, "Any cover is too much. You have the perfect ass-why cover it?"

"I'd argue yours is better."

"You'll lose."

Arizona laughed, reaching forward and wrapping her fingers around Callie's wrist, tugging her down so she'd kiss her lips. Callie melted against her, lips moving, a laugh escaping as Arizona tried to tug her back down on to the bed. Arizona pouted as she pulled back, pulling her bra on and smiling down at Arizona's doggy eyes.

"If you insist on these hideous rules that include me sneaking out at stupid hours, you have to deal with me leaving your bed." Callie grinned at her as she disappeared under her shirt, pulling it over her head.

Arizona heaved a sigh, "Fine."

"Easy for you to be grumpy, you don't have to work in," Callie checked her watch, stifling a groan, "Ugh, six hours."

"I do get jumped on in approximately four. Five if I'm lucky."

"Yeah, and then you have a hard day of hanging out with two cuties and going to the park."

Arizona rolled on to her back, putting her hand under her head and look at Callie, smothering a smirk as Callie's eyes automatically slid to her chest. She closed her eyes, "You make it sound like they aren't hard work. Plus, I have grocery shopping."

Callie tore her eyes away and grabbed her bag off the floor, slinging it over her shoulder, "I think you make up the stories of them being a handful." She smirked, knowing that would get a rise out of Arizona.

Arizona opened one eye, "Don't make me leave them with you all day."

Callie raised her hands, eyes wide, "Touche."

Arizona smirked, opening her eyes fully, "Go before I drag you back in to bed."

Callie walked over, standing at the end of the bed, leaning over so her face hovered over Arizona's, hair falling around them, "You can drag me back to bed. But I won't get out of it twice."

Arizona pouted again, "Damn."

Callie laughed and kissed her, upside down. As she pulled back, Arizona's eyes were sparkling. "What?"

"Spiderman kiss."

Callie straightened up, heading for the door, "You, are a dork."

Arizona grinned after her, watching the door pull shut.

####

Coffee with Teddy on Tuesday started as it usually did. Whoever was there first ordered, so this time, when Arizona walked up, Teddy was seated at one of their tables with two take away coffee cups in front of her. Arizona slid in to her seat.

"Oh, we're sitting at the hospital coffee cart today? Fancy."

Teddy smiled, "I thought we'd step it up a notch."

"Great, because I actually have time."

"Not got an appointment?"

Arizona looked confused at Teddy who was looking at her innocently over her coffee cup, "What do you mean?"

"Oh, I thought you might have had a page to an on call room."

Teddy laughed delightedly as Arizona flushed, "I-you-oh, shut up Teddy."

Grinning, Teddy asked, "What, no denial?"

"We don't go to on call rooms."

"A bit late, Arizona."

Arizona sipped her coffee and rolled her eyes, "_Anyway._ How was yesterday? You said Sunday night at dinner you had that piggy back surgery?"

"Nice change of subject. I'll allow it."

"Only because you want to talk about your surgery."

"Well, it was amazing, as was I."

Arizona laughed, "I wouldn't expect anything less. How did Yang go?"

Teddy shrugged, "She didn't." At Arizona's look, she continued, "She didn't show. She pulled out and sent in Avery."

"Well, how'd he go?"

"He's an oaf, and he writes like Ella."

"At least he's nice to look at."

"True." Teddy sipped her coffee, "But Yang _never_ pulls on Cardio."

"You're practically pouting, Teddy."

"Stupid Hunt and her are fighting, I think."

"That's an argument that's never going to go well."

"You think?"

Arizona shrugged, "I don't know them, not really. But it seems they're both wanting each other to change. That never goes well."

Teddy nodded slowly, "True."

"Oh-guess who we had a visitor from last night?"

"Sally's charming mother?"

Arizona made a face, "Ew. No. The caseworker, Lorna."

"Toby clothed this time?"

Arizona laughed, "Yes, thankfully, and Ella wasn't trying to force him to cross dress."

"Why is she still coming?"

Shrugging, Arizona answered, "It's all court appointed, the lawyer said she'll usually drop in monthly for about six months, just to check everything's settling okay."

"So it's all routine?" Teddy eyed her over her coffee.

"Yeah, all routine. And it went fine-she was a bit, I don't know, less friendly than last time. She didn't stay long. Just kind of popped in, drank some tea, asked how everything was and left."

"Well, you're probably the least of her concerns. The will dictated you as guardian, you're in a stable job, the kids are settling in as well as they can be."

"Yeah, well, Ella was well behaved and in one her quiet moods and Toby was his charming self."

"I'd expect nothing else from him."

Arizona rolled her eyes, "You can't adopt him, Teddy."

"No, but I can claim him any time I'm over. And Ella."

Arizona couldn't really argue with that, the kids loved Teddy. "That you can. Coming over for dinner tonight, by the way? Ella requested you read a story. Between you and Callie, these kids are getting spoilt."

"Between you and Callie, you're getting spoilt." Teddy grinned.

Arizona's pager went off, saving her a retort. She glanced down at it and stood, drinking the last of her coffee, "So see you tonight, smartass?"

"Definitely. Callie calling again?"

"No, I'm off to practice actual medicine." Arizona turned and started to walk off, before looking over her shoulder, "Then I'm seeing Callie."

She could practically feel Teddy's smirk as she walked away.

Arizona felt her cell phone buzzing as she stood waiting for the elevator. She took it out of her pocket and, seeing it was her mother, turned for the stairs to give her more time to chat, the page not an emergency. She pushed through the doors and started heading up the flight of stairs as she answered.

"Hey, Mom."

_"Arizona, hello darling."_

"How are you?"

_"I'm good, just wondering-I'm going to do a big cook up of meatloaf Thursday, I thought maybe I could bring some around Friday night for you to freeze and have for the kids?"_

Arizona grinned: she loved Barbara's meatloaf, and so did the kids. "That's something I would be very okay with you doing, Mom, thanks."

_"Lovely, maybe I could stay for dinner?"_

Laughing, Arizona answered, "If you didn't I'd be concerned."

_"And maybe, I could stay for a few hours?"_

"Of course."

_Ánd maybe, you could use this as an opportunity to go out on a date with Callie."_

Arizona actually stopped mid step, a smirk on her face, "Subtle, Mom."

_"Nothing's subtle about playing cupid, Arizona. He uses arrows, I have to use my brain."_

Arizona bit her lip, thinking as she started climbing again, "That would actually be amazing."

The sly grin could be literally heard over the phone, _"Excellent. You can get out of the bloody house."_

"Mom! I leave the house."

_"Grocery shopping doesn't count Arizona."_

"I-"

_"Nor does work."_

Arizona had nothing.

_"Precisely. Now, you take Callie on a nice date. There can be flowers-oh! Definitely buy her flowers! And go for a walk."_

"It's freezing out."

_"A drive then. A romantic one."_

Grinning, "Yes, Mom."

_"Good. And I can be with my lovely grandchildren."_

Arizona turned up the last flight, "They'll love that. They love any time with you." There was a pause, and then a sudden silence on the phone, "Mom?"

_"That-that's just so nice to hear."_

Barbara sounded incredibly choked up. Arizona paused again, a soft sigh leaving her lips, "Oh, Mom. Are you okay?"

_"Yes, yes. I'm fine, just being silly. Your father's disappeared in to his office again. I'm just looking forward to some family time."_

"Why don't I hang with you and the kids Friday night?"

_"No! Don't be silly. I want you to have some fun. Take that beautiful woman out. Like I said to the case worker yesterday, you need to have your time, too."_

Arizona stopped again, "To who?"

_"The case worker, Lorna called."_

"She didn't mention it at her visit yesterday evening?"

_"She said it was all routine, to just ask how people close to you felt everything was going."_

"What-what did you say?" Arizona didn't know why her heart was pounding.

_"Arizona, get that worry out of your voice. I told her you were doing an amazing job, she said she thought so, too."_

Arizona felt herself relax, "Oh." She laughed suddenly at her self, and reached the floor she wanted, leaning against the railing as she wrapped up the conversation.

_"Anyway, as I said, you need some fun. Not to spend even more time with your mother and niece and nephew. I can babysit Friday night, you don't get a choice."_

Smiling, Arizona looked down at her pager as it went off again, "Okay, fine, I'll take the pretty woman out to dinner. Only because you're making me."

_"As if, you were taking pretty women out before I knew anything about it."_

Laughing, Arizona started walking through the door, "Very funny."

_"It's true. Don't think I havent twigged about those 'sleepovers' you had when you got a bit older."_

Arizona grimaced slightly, "Mom, I really gotta go."

_"Yeah, nice timing. Go save lives-love you."_

"I love you, too."

Arizona hung up and walked towards the paeds wing, seeing Karev hovering near the phones where he'd obviously been waiting to page her again.

"What's so urgent, Karev?"

####

By the time Friday rolled around, Arizona found herself far too excited for her date with Callie. She had loved hanging with the kids and Callie, or Teddy and Callie, or the on call room and Callie. However, they hadn't been on a proper date since their first, and the idea of not having to whisper, or rush, was incredibly appealing. She figured she had stuck to her plan of not letting the kids ever doubt their importance in her life, and that going out for a night was okay.

She tried not to imagine what Cathy would have to say about it.

It was so important to her, to keep the kids feeling safe, that while she had chosen to take the higher road about what the woman had said, it had increased those niggling concerns in the back of her mind. The ones she'd had when she had first found out, that she wasn't cut out for this,that she was possibly the worst person to do it. Also, the ones that had come up since meeting Callie. That it was selfish to date, especially when things were so new. That the kids wouldn't cope, that they'd feel less of a priority in her life.

So, she was taking the high road with Cathy, but it didn't mean the woman hadn't gotten under her skin a little.

But a pep talk with Teddy, and the phone conversation with her mother, snapped her out of it. She was already being incredibly cautious with the kids and Callie. Callie was being so understanding, and Arizona had held back, and if she wanted to go out on a date on a Friday night, she was going to do it and enjoy it.

Barbara met Arizona at the house at around six with Ella, Callie due to pick Arizona up at seven. In her true style, Barbara breezed in, arms laden with food and entered the kitchen with Ella in tow.

"Sweetie, hi." Barbara dumped everything on the kitchen bench and gave Arizona a tight hug, kissing her cheek, Arizona squeezing her tightly back.

"Aunty Na, I helped cook this afternoon!"

Arizona grinned at Ella, pulling her in for a cuddle, "You've definitely been busy." Arizona eyed the dishes now layering the kitchen bench. There definitely wasn't _just_ meatloaf. "Mom, hey-how much food did you bring?"

Barbara started pulling dishes out and putting them in the fridge and freezer, "Oh, enough for awhile, to heat up and just have on hand."

Arizona crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes, "I'm not _that_ bad at cooking, Mom."

Barbara paused with her arm in a bag and looked sideways at Ella, who met her grandmother's eyes and Arizona suddenly felt her niece had abandoned her.

"Guys, I cook all the time now."

Barbara nodded, "I know you do, sweetie. You've gotten really good." Her eyes stayed focussed on the bag in front of her as she rummaged through it.

"Ella! C'mon, I can cook, can't I?"

Ella's eyes went wide, "Um-Nana, her pancakes are really good."

Barbara snorted into the bag and Arizona rolled her eyes, "You two suck. I'm going to hang out with Toby."

Barbara's laughter followed her in to the living room and Arizona heard Ella say, "Well, they _are _good, she usually doesn't even burn them."

Arizona scooped up Toby, who laughed delightedly at the sudden affection, and started carrying him upstairs, "You can't talk, so you can't abandon ship yet. When you're older, just you remember who's changed far too many of your diapers."

Toby wrapped a chubby arm around her neck and Arizona melted slightly as the fingers of his other hand grabbed at her pendant, "Na." He murmured, smiling at her affectionately.

She smiled as she walked in to her room, plopping him on her bed. She loved his little voice, it was starting to come out more and more, "Right, little man. Want to help me choose an outfit?"

He fell backwards on the bed, legs in the air, giggling at the soft, unsteadiness of the mattress.

She eyed him, "Right, you're going to be lots of help."

He blew a raspberry.

"Excellent."

Arizona found an outfit and took Toby back downstairs to join Barbara and Ella while she had a shower. She emerged not long before seven, walking in to the dining room where Barbara was feeding the kids dinner and Ella looked up from her plate, eyes wide.

"Aunty Na, you look really pretty."

Arizona grinned. The joy of kids was they told the truth. She had once walked out and Ella had looked her up and down and asked, 'Where did you find _that_?'. There had been so much Sally in the tone it had made Arizona's stomach ache.

If Ella approved, she was set.

"Thanks Ella Bella. Just something I had laying around." She winked at her and walked over, kissing the top of her head.

"You really do, Arizona." Barbara smiled softly at her.

"Thanks, Mom. And thanks again for tonight."

Barbara waved her hand, "Nonsense. We're going to have a great night."

"Nana said we can have _two _deserts."

Arizona raised her eyebrows at Ella, and then at Barbara, "_Two_ deserts? Well, Nana gets to deal with the sugar rush, so eat away."

Delighted with two lots of adult permission for extra desert, Ella went back to her meal with gutso, powering through as much as she could.

Arizona was about to tell her to slow down before she threw up when the door bell rang.

Barbara laughed and Arizona turned back to her before walking to the door to answer it, "What?"

Barbara smiled at her, "Your face just lit up. Go get the door."

Rolling her eyes, Arizona went to answer it, grinning as the door swung open to reveal a smiling Callie. Arizona let her eyes drift down and her mouth dropped open. Callie looked incredible. Dressed in black slacks with heels, and a white button up shirt with a dark grey vest. She looked like a mix between office power boss and sexy secretary and Arizona thought she may need to wipe up the drool. She loved feminine Callie in dresses, but this was new.

Callie reached her hand forward and entwined their fingers, tugging Arizona forward for a quick kiss on the lips.

"Close your mouth, Arizona."

Arizona closed it.

"You look," Arizona let her eyes drop down and looked back up to Callie, biting her lip, "amazing."

Callie grinned, "Right back at you."

Arizona had dark skinny jeans on with knee high boots, a dark red, low cut top and a fitted military jacket.

"Ready to go?"

Callie raised her eyebrows, "I should really say hey to your Mom and the kids."

Arizona paused, "Oh. Yeah." The sight of Callie had made her mind go blank.

Callie pulled her through the door way, "You'll have me to yourself soon."

Arizona followed happily.

####

They were wrapped in bed again, having said goodbye to Barbara a few hours earlier once they'd gotten in from their date.

"Your mom wouldn't stop grinning at me."

Arizona laughed softly, wrapping an arm tighter around Callie's waist, "She think's you're the best thing to happen to me."

Callie smiled, turning her head so they were looking at each other, "Well, I am pretty amazing. Some would say a rock star."

"You, you say that."

Callie shrugged, "I like to speak the truth."

Arizona smirked, kissing Callie once before pulling back, "You are pretty rock star like."

"It's okay to admit the truth."

Rolling her eyes, Arizona used her knee to nudge Callie, "I need to start being meaner to you. You're getting a big head."

Callie pouted, "No. No being mean."

Arizona wrapped her hands in Callie's hair and pulled her forward slightly, kissing her again, "You pout and it just makes your lips look even better."

Callie grinned, "You're so easy."

"Only with you."

"Well, that's a good thing, because I can get jealous."

"Now's not a good time to tell you about my harem then?"

"As long as I'm head of all those women, I'm okay."

"I'll take that as permission."

Callie rolled them over, rolling herself on top of Arizona, hair falling around their faces. She held herself up on her elbows, leaning down and kissing her, lips lingering. Callie pulled back, eyes darkened. Her leg slipped between Arizona's, thigh pressing down. She turned her head to the side, looking at the clock on the nightstand.

"Damn it. It's after midnight."

Arizona, who had thought they were headed for round three, looked over at the clock with glazed eyes, "So?"

"I had to take Ryan's surgeries tomorrow, he blew out his knee. First one's at seven."

Arizona wrapped a leg around Callie, heel digging into the back of her legs as she used her own thigh to mimic Callie's actions, "So?"

Callie closed her eyes for a moment, rocking her hips. She hovered her lips over Arizona's, not kissing her, "So-I still have to get to my house, sleep enough, and be in stupidly early because I'm not familiar with the case."

Arizona grinned, "So?"

Callie laughed, nipping at Arizona's bottom lip before pulling back and rolling off her, sitting on the edge of the bed, "So-I need to sleep."

Arizona threw her arm dramatically over her eyes, "Fine. Leave me."

"I could always stay." Callie's voice was teasing, "I'd be gone by the time they woke up."

Arizona lifted her arm up slightly, "Knowing our luck, it'd be the night Toby wakes up at three am and one of the rare times Ella climbs in to bed with me."

"True. So wipe your pout off your face."

Arizona dropped her arm back down, heaving a dramatic sigh.

"You and Ella really are so alike."

The pillow hit Callie in the face.

Laughing quietly, Callie threw the pillow back and got dressed, Arizona dragging the pillow under her head. She sat up and scooted to the edge of the bed, standing up and throwing on a pair of sweats and a shirt. Callie gave her a funny look.

"What are you doing."

Arizona shrugged, "Walking you out."

Callie walked around the bed and wrapped her arms around Arizona's middle, "You don't have to do that-you stopped all pretense of being that romantic after the first time."

Arizona chuckled, leaning forward and pressing her lips to Callie's neck, smiling as she pulled back, faces inches apart, "True. I must be feeling more romantic tonight."

"That and it's earlier so you can still stand."

Arizona kissed, pulling back with a smile, "Precisely."

Callie rolled her eyes and took her hand, pulling her gently towards the door, "Don't think you're going to bail me up at the door down stairs for a quickie before I go."

Arizona pouted, "Damn. On to me, huh?"

Callie pulled the door open, lowering her voice from quiet to a whisper as she did so, "I'm so on to you. I have to sleep!"

Arizona grinned and followed her out.

"Stop smiling, it's not happening."

Arizona feigned a serious face.

"That's better."

They padded lightly down the hallway, reaching the stairs, Callie leading them down.

"Doctor Callie?"

They both froze, eyes wide, Arizona still standing on the landing, hand linked to Callie's and Callie on the first step. As one, they slowly turned, to see Ella, one leg of her pyjama bottoms hiked up to her knee, hair a cloud around her head, standing in her door way, squinting at them.

"Are you still here?"

Arizona bit her lip and turned to look at Callie, who was looking at Ella in such a state of shock it was almost comical.

She turned back to Ella, half asleep and adorable, letting go of Callie's hand, "Hey Ella Bella, Callie was just leaving."

Ella scratched her bare knee, then tugged at the leg of her pyjama's to pull it back down her leg, "It's late."

Arizona smiled, walking forward and lifting her up. She was getting too big for it. She walked them over to where Callie was standing, still wide eyed, "It is a bit late, which is why Callie's going home. Then I'm going to go to bed so I can get lots of sleep for the park tomorrow."

"Yeah, we're all going for a picnic with grandma." Ella blinked sleepily at Arizona, turning to Callie, "Are you coming, Doctor Callie?"

Callie finally blinked, smiling widely at Ella. Arizona tried not to laugh at her. It was her own fault, she knew, she's made this a big deal. But Callie had frozen like a cartoon character. "I have work in the morning, Ella, sorry."

Ella pouted, fiddling with the button on her pyjama top, "It's not until lunch time."

Arizona looked at Callie, "If you finish up in time, you should come."

Callie looked at her, smiling, "Okay. I should be done by one."

Ella bounced in Arizona's arms,"Yay! We can go on the slide, Doctor Callie."

"That sounds like a plan, Ella."

Arizona put Ella down, "Now, missy, you go to bed and I'll come up in a second and tuck you in."

"Okay, g'night Doctor Callie." Ella took a step forward and wrapped her arms around Callie's legs. Callie knelt down and gave her a hug.

"Good night, Ella. Sweet dreams."

Ella stumbled sleepily back to bed.

Arizona watched her go and turned back to Callie, "Your face was priceless."

Callie rolled her eyes, "Shut up."

Giggling, Arizona led the way down the stairs.

"You'll pay for that."

"Hope so."

They just hit the bottom of the stairs, when, "Doctor Callie?"

They both turned to see Ella standing up the top, hanging on to the banister.

Callie looked up at her, "Yeah?"

"Can you read me a story before you go?"

Callie nodded, grinning, and she started her way back up the stairs, "Of course."

Arizona followed, smiling softly.

####


	18. Chapter 18

**Title: **Changes  
**Author: **gabs88  
**Pairing: **Callie/Arizona  
**Summary: **When Arizona's brother dies in a car crash with his wife, she is named guardian of his two children. What does this mean for the life of someone who never wanted her own kids, let alone anyone elses?  
**Rating: **M  
**Disclaimer: **All characters belong to ABC/Shonda Rhimes.  
**Note**: Aways great reading everyone's thoughts and opinions, thank you so much for all the feedback. I am sorry about the delay in updates, but as promised, they will continue! However, they will still be sporadic for awhile, I'm sorry!

**Changes  
Chapter Eighteen**

"Can we have a sleepover at Nana's again?"

Arizona looked at Ella, seated at the table and happily shoveling in some of Barbara's reheated meals, "Of course you can."

Ella nodded, "Thanks." She smiled, face smeared with sauce, before looking serious, "I miss Grandad."

Arizona slowed her chewing down. Toby, in his high chair, grabbed another meatball and put the whole thing in his mouth, cheeks bulging as he chewed. They were having a night without Callie or Teddy, and Arizona found herself enjoying the time alone with the kids.

"You miss him, huh?"

Ella nodded, "Yup. He doesn't come over anymore." The smile was long faded from her face.

Arizona swallowed and wondered how to tackle this one. Honesty worked best, she was learning. "I think he's sad, sometimes, Ella Bella."

"He misses Daddy?"

Arizona felt a stab low in her stomach, and she couldn't help but wonder if that would ever go away, "Yeah. He does miss your daddy."

Ella pushed some food around her plate, suddenly contemplative, "You miss Daddy. And Mommy."

"I do. A lot."

"And Nana misses them."

"She really does."

"And I miss them." Her voice was almost a whisper.

Arizona pushed her chair back and it was all it took for Ella to abandon her seat and be on Arizona's lap, "I know you miss them, honey."

She smoothed the hair off Ella's face, holding her tightly against her. Ella wasn't crying, but her face was red, and she was desperately trying to puzzle something out.

"We all miss them, even Toby, and he's a baby."

Arizona looked at Toby, cheeks still bulging, face covered in sauce, and watched as he tried to fit another meatball in, eyes twinkling at her.

"He does."

"So why can't Grandad miss them with us."

Arizona wanted to shake her father. He was abandoning the kids, his wife, his daughter, wallowing in his grief while they all had to hold their heads up and carry on. He was another figurehead that was missing from Ella and Toby's life.

Chin resting on top of Ella's head, Arizona shrugged, "He doesn't know how, I don't think."

"You know how."

"Sometimes I don't. But I know I want to be with you and Toby, no matter how I feel."

She felt Ella nod her head, "Can we have a sleepover? Last time he sat for a little while and read a book to me. He smells nice."

Arizona hugged her closer, "Of course you can. What about in two sleeps? That'll be Friday night and you can spend Saturday with Nana and him? Maybe do some gardening?"

Ella nodded, "Okay."

"Wanna call Nana after dinner?"

"Yeah."

Ella made no move to hop off just yet, and Arizona let her stay as long as she wanted.

####

Thursdays shift was a nightmare. The interns were creating a mess with the preops, an emergency had come in and pushed everything back four hours, Hunt was a cranky mess and Arizona hadn't seen Callie in fourty eight hours. Not only this, but because of the emergency Arizona had missed her morning coffee with Teddy and not managed any lunch. She was actually grateful for her habit of eating breakfast with the kids, a meal she used to often miss, otherwise she'd be falling over. It was after three in the afternoon when she emerged from the scrub room, tiredly pulling her scrub cap off her head.

"You'll talk to the family?" Arizona asked Alex.

He nodded, "You don't want to tell them the good news?"

"You carried that one on your own-you go get the thanks."

Alex nodded and started heading down the hallway, shoulders held a littler higher at the praise. Arizona turned the other way, passing OR two, randomly glancing in the scrub room attached as she did so. She saw Callie entering the room from the OR, tired and ready to scrub out. She saw her pause for a second and then walk back in to the OR, perhaps to help the resident close.

Arizona calculated she had just under ten minutes. Moving quickly she headed for the stairs. Just over five minutes later, she re-entered the floor with two coffees, walking back to the scrub room of OR two.

She pushed the door open, relieved to see it was still just Callie, finishing up scrubbing out as she watched the Resident close through the window. Callie turned as she heard the door open behind her, smiling as she saw Arizona with two coffees.

Arizona grinned, "You had as busy a day as me?"

Callie nodded, drying her hands on a hand towel, "God, what is going on today? Hunt's in a _mood_."

Arizona laughed, holding out the coffee as Callie threw the towel in the bin, leaning back against the sink. She reached out, fingers wrapping around Arizona wrist. She glanced behind her, seeing everyone in the room focused on the surgical count and the patient. She looked back to Arizona, smiling, tugging her forward and Arizona pressed a quick kiss to Callie's lips.

"Hey."

"Hi." Callie smiled, "I've missed my girlfriend."

"Me, too."

"I've barely seen you since the picnic Saturday afternoon."

Arizona settled next to Callie, arms pressed close as they drank their coffee, "I know. The kids and our rosters have not allowed much time."

Callie pouted, "Not fair."

Arizona leant next to her ear, "What you doing tomorrow night?"

Callie grinned, "Something with you?"

Pulling back, Arizona nodded, "And, guess what?"

"I'm getting lucky?"

"definitely. But also...?"

Callie bit her lip, "What?"

"I'm kid free."

A slow smile spread over Callie's lips, "All night?"

"Sleep over at Nana's."

"Wanna sleep over at mine?"

Arizona nodded, "I really do."

"Wanna go out? Have some dinner, a date?"

Arizona shook her head, smiling, "Not really."

"Wanna stay in, order pizza?"

"I love pizza."

"Me, too."

####

Waking up next to Callie was something Arizona wanted to do every morning, given the chance. She'd always slept close to people, when they stayed over. She liked the feel of waking up with someone's skin against hers. But she'd never woken up completely wrapped in someone before. Arizona was on her side, Callie on hers, their legs entwined, Arizona's face in Callie's neck, Callie's arm loosely over her waist.

A smile went across her lips as she woke, and she lay their, half asleep, half awake, enjoying the feeling of her girlfriend against her. Callie was out cold, breathing deeply and Arizona pressed a kiss gently to Callie's skin.

There was no children waking them up, nothing to get out of bed for, no work that day. Arizona didn't need to pick the kids up from her mothers until later in the afternoon. They'd been up late, basking in the fact that there was no reason to be quiet, the first time they'd gotten to enjoy that since their first time. And they had very much enjoyed it.

Arizona wrinkled her nose as she sleepily realised she could smell pizza. The box was somewhere on the floor. They'd started eating it in the living room, at least pretending they could keep their hands off each other. They'd ended up having sex on the couch, then the floor, then heading to the bed. Callie had sauntered out delightfully naked a few hours on to bring the pizza in when Arizona had complained of her depleting energy reserves.

She couldn't remember the last time she had been this at peace. No guilt was plaguing the back of her mind, no one was yelling at her to wake up, and she had gotten to spend an entire night with Callie. The guilt, the insecure feelings she had about dating so soon, had quelled, not gone completely, but it wasn't crossing her mind at all in that moment. The kids had asked to be at their grandparents, and it was something they'd enjoyed generally fortnightly when their parents had been alive.

Arizona was starting to realise things could balance.

It had only been a few weeks that they had become 'official', but her and Callie were solid, the connection prominent the second they'd met.

And Callie, well, Arizona was so grateful to have her in her life. She understood her need to keep things separate with the kids, for now. That it was all still new, the custody even still so new, and there was no insecurity from Callie. It amazed her, that Callie was so okay with her situation.

She felt Callie stir, her arm tightening around her, and Arizona pressed another kiss to Callie's neck, smiling as she heard Callie sigh softly. She trailed her lips over the skin of her neck slowly, feeling the subtle changes of Callie's body as she started to stir.

"Wake up." Arizona murmured against her skin.

Callie hummed softly, voice low as she answered, "I am enjoying waking up like this."

Arizona kissed her jaw, her lips once, before pulling back and smiling as Callie languidly opened her eyes, her own smile spreading slowly across her face. Arizona ran a finger tip down her cheek, "Me, too."

"Something I could get used to..."

"Me too."

Callie kissed her, movements still sleepy, "Maybe it's something we can do more regularly?"

She staged it as a question, almost nervously. Arizona rest her fingertips against Callie's collar bone from where they had trailed down her neck. She didn't like the hesitancy in Callie's voice, but couldn't blame her, considering how stringent Arizona had been with her 'rules'.

"Maybe we can?"

Callie's eyes widened and her smile lit up, no longer sleepy, "Really?"

Arizona nodded, her own smile growing, "Really. We could talk to Ella, explain things a little."

"Really?"

Arizona nodded again, "Yeah. She'll just be excited, I'm sure. It wouldn't be something we can do all the time, at first. But we could start easing in to it?"

"Really?"

Arizona laughed, rolling Callie on to her back, holding herself over her on her elbows, "Yes! Really!"

Callie gave a laugh, "That," she said, hands running up Arizona's back to bury in to her hair, "makes me very, very happy."

"We'll see how happy it makes you if Toby wakes up at three or when Ella comes bounding in at five asking for breakfast."

Callie's smile wavered, "Five?"

Arizona's smile, however, got wider, "Yup. Five."

Callie looked worried, "Like, five am? Even on days we can sleep in?"

"Yup."

"You look far too chipper about that."

"Your face is just pretty funny, makes it easy to be chipper." Arizona kissed her, pulling back, "You do know what you're getting yourself in to, right?"

Callie shrugged, "Probably not. But I know you're in it, so I'm pretty happy to find out." Callie titled her head as she looked at Arizona, "Why the concern?"

Arizona smiled, "What? No concern. Teasing."

Callie shook her head, "Don't pull that. When you asked if I knew what I was getting in to. I saw it. Do you think the kids thing scares me?"

Arizona bit her lip. Sometimes Callie was too perceptive for her own good, "I just-kids are a handful. And I don't mean that in a patronising way. I love them, so much. But Toby's not always cute and delightful, and sometimes I think Ella's attitude is getting too big to fit in the door. They sleep like kittens on crack, they have far too much energy and there are days I want to lock myself in to my room and pretend I live alone and have nothing to do all evening but pour a glass of wine. Do you know that you can spend all day just following them around picking up their stuff? They leave a trail of destruction and-"

Callie cut her off with a kiss, pulling back and raising her eyebrows at her, "Arizona. Breathe, sweetie."

Arizona swallowed, feeling the flush in her cheeks, "Sorry. Maybe I needed a rant?"

Callie chuckled, "You're allowed to rant. I have no idea how you do what you do."

"I love them." Arizona shrugged, like it was the simplest thing in the world. Which it was. "There's so much of Tim, and Sally in them. I don't see it as a chore."

Callie ran her hands back down Arizona's back, wrapping her arms around her waist, "I'm in, Arizona. Crazy kids and your insane bed hair and all."

Arizona looked affronted, her grin at Callie's 'I'm in' prominent regardless, "My bed hair is fine."

"Well, it is bed sex hair." Callie grinned, "I like it." Arizona kissed her, lips pressing to Callie's, her movement slow, trying to pour everything in to the kiss. Arizona had had such a lingering concern that Callie didn't know what she was in for, and Callie, as always, had made her feel completely reassured. She pulled back and smiled as Callie's eyes opened slowly, "What was that for?"

"For being in."

####

Callie and Arizona didn't get out of bed until after noon, finally rolling out to shower and find a late lunch somewhere. They parted ways at Callie's, long kisses shared in the doorway until Marks whoops from across the hall made them pull back, laughing at him. Callie was going to come over for dinner that night, and they'd text Teddy to ask her to join as well.

Driving to her mothers to pick the kids up, Arizona found herself grinning widely at the traffic lights. Everything felt, well, good. As she pulled in to the driveway, she wondered to herself if her father had managed to drag himself from his study to spend time with his grandchildren. She climbed out of the car and went to go around the front but heard Ella's laugh from the back yard, and instead opened the side gate and made her way to the backyard. She grinned as she saw Ella standing in the middle of Barbara's vegie patch, legs covered in dirt. Toby was in coveralls, sitting next to Ella and grinning as he threw dirt at his own foot. Barbara was watering the other side and occasionally sending flicks of water towards towards the kids, causing Ella to scream with laughter.

"Nana! Don't! I can't get wet!"

Arizona stood and crossed her arms, leaning against the side wall of the house, watching Barbara laugh and flick more towards Ella, getting her feet wet. Some splashed Toby, and he looked around confused before going back to throwing dirt.

"But you're dirty! You need a wash." Barbara smiled at Ella.

Ella put her hands on her little hips and rolled her yes, "That's what a _bathtub_ for."

Arizona chuckled and called out, "You're not getting in to the bathtub like that, Miss Ella Bella!"

Ella swung her head around and grinned, "Aunty Na! Tell Nana to stop splashing me!"

Toby had looked up and pushed himself standing, "Na! Na!"

He ran at her, grinning and giggling and she scooped him up in to a cuddle, not caring that he was covered in soil.

"Hey, little man."

He had wrapped his arms around her tightly before kicking his leg out in front of him, pointing seriously to his pants, "Dirdy."

Arizona looked at them and nodded, "Yup. They're definitely dirty." She looked back up at Ella, "Mom, I think you should keep squirting her, she's not getting in the car like that."

Ella opened her mouth indignantly and squealed with laughter again as cold water hit her toes, "Aunty Na! You're supposed to stick up for me." Ella was grinning.

Barbara looked at Arizona, "Yeah, Arizona."

It was Arizona's turn to roll her eyes, "Oh good," She looked at Toby who was looking up at her with wide blue eyes, still pointing to his pants, "I love it when they gang up on." Ella giggled and walked over, wrapping her arms around Arizona's middle, pressing her face into Toby's stomach as she did so and blowing to attempt a raspberry, causing him to giggle loudly and push at her. Arizona wrapped her spare arm around Ella's shoulders, giving her a squeeze and her back a rub even as she said, "And now you're getting me all dirty!"

Ella giggled pulled back, "Now you have to get squirted!"

Arizona's eyes widened and she looked up at Barbara, who was grinning almost maliciously, "Mom, no!" She held Toby out in front of her under his arm pits like a human shield, causing him to giggle, "I have a baby!"

Barbara rolled her eyes and dropped the hose, walking over to turn it off, "Coward, using the baby."

Toby giggled again,"More!"

Arizona hefted him up and threw him slightly in the air before putting him back down, where he promptly ran back to the now muddy vegie patch and buried his hands in it. Ella squatted next to him and chattered away at him.

Barbara walked up to Arizona and pulled her in to a hug, kissing her cheek as she pulled back, "You have fun with Callie?"

Arizona nodded, "I did."

"Good. I like that one."

Arizona wrapped an arm around her mothers shoulder as they stood watching the two kids, Toby poking att he dirt, Ella talking non stop to him and drawing pictures in it with a stick.

"I do, too."

"I can tell."

She bumped her hip in to her mothers, "Shh."

"I can. You're obviously smitten."

Arizona couldn't really deny that, "She's easy to get smitten over."

"Obviously. Ella doesn't shut u about her and you smile any time her name is mentioned. She's a pretty welcome presence, if you ask me."

"Agreed."

"And you've clearly had sex all day."

Arizona's eyes widened as she looked quickly to the kids to make sure they hadn't overheard, then looked back to glare at her mother, "Mom!"

"What? You have."

Arizona dropped her arm from her mothers shoulder and continued to glare at her. She was speechless. "Have not."

Barbara rolled her eyes, "Good response, Arizona. Learn that from Ella?"

Ella looked up from the dirt, "What?"

"Nothing!" They called out at once.

Arizona crossed her arms, "Anyway. How's dad. Why isn't he here with the kids?"

Barbara sighed, "He said he had business to do." Barbara tried to smile and Arizona saw right through it, "He did watch a DVD with Ella last night, and read her a book. The he disappeared. Toby misses him."

"Ella asks about why she rarely sees him."

Sighing again, Barbara shrugged, "He'll get there. He's a lot like you, like that."

"Hey, I'm here."

Barbara nodded at the kids, "Thanks to them, you are. Otherwise I fear you would've disappeared, too."

Arizona went to open her mouth to object, but couldn't. Instead she wrapped her arm back around her mothers shoulder again and pulled her against her. They stood for a minute in a comfortable half hug, watching the kids play.

"So the sex is good, then?"

"Mom!"

Arizona, red faced, managed to bundle the kids in to the car, grateful her mother still had clothes and thing sat the house in the kids bedrooms, meaning she didn't have to hunt down bags and try and con Ella in to unpacking hers. They got home, Ella practically bouncing out of the car when she'd heard Callie and Teddy were coming over for dinner. Arizona got Toby out of his car seat, smiling as he went willingly in to her arms, head resting in the crook of her neck. She rubbed circles on his back as she walked up to the house. She paused as she saw Ella standing holding a brown paper bag.

"What's that Ella Bella?"

Ella shrugged, "I dunno. It was on the door mat. I think it's for me and Toby?"

Arizona held her hand out and Toby craned his neck to watch what she was doing from his place on her hip. She held the package and read the label, 'For my Grandchildren'. Arizona resisted the urge to roll her eyes, obviously Cathy had come around again unannounced. Secretly relieved they'd missed her, Arizona smiled at Ella as she opened the door, Ella half falling in to the house.

"Your reading's getting good, it is for you."

"I got first on our spelling test yesterday."

Arizona widened her eyes as she handed the package back to Ella, "You did? Well, you can choose dinner and desert tonight then, smarty pants."

Ella bounced as she took the package, already ripping in to it, "Who's it from?"

"From Grandma."

"Mommy's mom?"

"Yup."

Ella wrinkled up her nose as she kept tearing at paper, "She smells funny."

Arizona tried to resist a smile, "That's not very nice, Ella. What you get?"

Ella pulled out a book, her eyes lighting up. She really loved books, "It's a story! I don't have this one!"

Arizona smiled, walking through the house, Toby being extra cuddly and not trying to get down, "Well, that's awesome, a new one. Maybe we can read it with Toby tonight."

"Can Doctor Callie read it?"

Arizona nodded as she put her bag down on the counter, "She sure can."

"And Teddy can read one, too?"

Arizona eyed her playfully, "You wouldn't be trying to sneak two stories in for bed time, would you."

Ella grinned, "I don't want one of them to feel left out."

Laughing, Arizona nodded, "If they want to read to you, you can have two."

Ella bounced and put the book on the bench, already moving out the room, "I'm going to find a other story for Teddy to read!"

Arizona looked at Toby, who was now craning his neck to see where his sister has gone, "You're sister is like a whirlwind, Tobes."

Toby looked back at her, "El done?"

She loved the way he said his words, "She'll be back."

She put him down on the ground and grabbed one of his toys off the bench, handing it to him. He instantly sat down and started running the wheels over the floor, making car noises. Arizona reached distractedly for the book to see what it was,picking it up and smiling at the noises Toby was making.

She looked down and clenched her jaw in anger.

In her hands was a children's bible.

Not something that should irritate her as much as it was. Arizona had nothing personally against religion, but Sally had. They'd had a long, drawn out conversation about it over several bottles of wine, discussing Sally's oppressive childhood.

She'd expressed openly that she didn't want it playing a role in the kids lives, unless they chose for it to later. Her mother and her had a huge argument over it last year, Arizona remembered Tim calling her late one evening and just saying, "I need you to take the ranting for awhile, it's been three hours" and suddenly Sally was on the phone, all fire and anger.

Sally had made it clear to her mother that she didn't want the kids going to Sunday School, or any of it.

Yet here, from Sally's mother, was a children's bible.

Arizona sighed and looked down to Toby, chewing her lip as she thought and vaguely watched him smash his car in to the ground and make loud bang noises.

She didn't want to throw the book away. She'd had a children's bible growing up, even though she wasn't brought up in a religious house hold. If it was her kids, she wouldn't see it as the biggest deal, she just wouldn't be emphasising it to them. Her issue with this, in all honesty, was Sally had made her wishes loud and clear and Arizona, more than anything, wanted to bring these kids up with every bit of Sally and Tim that she could.

She put the book on the bench and figured she'd think about it later.

Cathy was not her favourite person at the moment.

However, she had a night ahead of her with Callie, her best friend and the two cutest kids in the world.

"Alrighty, Tobes. Let's get you washed up, you're covered in garden dirt."

He stopped with his car mid air and looked at her, face suddenly stony, "Baf?"

Arizona nodded, "Yup, bath." He looked like he was considering chucking the car at her. "And _then_ dinner with Callie and Teddy."

He perked up, dropping the car and holding his arms up, "Baf! Ted?"

She picked him up, swinging him on to her hip, "Bath then Teddy! Plan."

The next few hours passed quickly and she had them bathed and in their pyjamas early, dinner (chips and pasta as requested by Ella, with some salad as negotiated by Arizona) was ready. Teddy and Callie showed up on time, Callie with a bottle of red in her hands and Teddy clutching the biggest box of brownies Arizona had ever seen. Ella and Toby launched themselves on to them with much noise and they all eventually settled down in the kitchen. Arizona and Callie fluffed about serving dinner and throwing sly smiles at each other while Teddy sat at the table with Toby on her lap, the little boy completely enamoured with her, and chatted to Ella. The seemed to be debating if nuts belonged in brownies.

"Teddy smiles more here than she does anywhere else." Callie spoke softly as she put chips on all their plates.

Arizona looked up from where she was doling out salad and smiled as she looked at Teddy. Whenever she came here and relaxed, the strain seemed to leave her eyes, the act of being happy actually settled in to something resembling some kind of calm. She looked at Callie and they smiled at each other, finishing up getting the plates done.

Callie and Arizona set the plates down on the table, Arizona taking Toby from Teddy's arms to put him in his high chair, when a knock sounded from the front door.

Toby settling on her hip, she met the three sets of eyes owlishly blinking at her from the table with an equally confused look.

"Um-I'll just get that."

Rather than wrestle Toby in to his high chair when he'd just want to go with her anyway, Arizona kept him on her hip and walked through to the front door, "Who do you think it is, Tobes?"

Toby looked at her, "Chips!"

Arizona smiled at him, "In a minute."

She pulled the door open and tried to hide her surprise, "Lorna. Hi." Arizona smiled awkwardly at the case worker, "Uh-can I help you? We just had a visit from you?"

Lorna gave a stiff smile and it was then that Arizona looked behind her to see a police officer standing calmly, hands held behind him and looking at the ground. It seemed like he was purposefully making a point of not being intrusive.

"Arizona, I'm really sorry."

Arizona blinked at her, subconsciously holding Toby closer to her, "What for?"

"Unfortunately, we've had some concerns raised about how you're taking care of the kids. While we investigate these, we need to take the kids in to care."

Arizona stared at her, not blinking, "What?"

Lorna took in a deep breath, "Someone has made some fairly serious allegations, and we are obliged to investigate these, even though I've not seen _anything_ to indicate the kids are being neglected."

Arizona thought maybe Callie had stepped in to the hallway behind her, hovering, but at that point she wasn't paying attention.

"_Neglected?"_ Arizona couldn't control her tone. She felt Toby dig his fingers in to her shirt as he held on to her, looking from Lorna to Arizona and back again.

Lorna kept her face neutral, "You're aware you've had temporary custody while awaiting the papers to pass by the judge and have it all officially signed off to make you permanent guardian of the kids?"

Arizona nodded dumbly, "I was assured everything would be fine with that, my brother and Sally dictated in their will that they wanted me to have them."

"Well, someone has petitioned the court for guardianship over you, which they are legally allowed to do." Arizona felt her mouth drop open. "Now, normally you'd keep the kids until a guardianship hearing was held, as you're already temporary guardian, but we need to investigate these claims."

"So your taking them off me?"

"Hopefully not permanently, Arizona."

Arizona needed her brain to work faster, "Can't they stay with my parents?"

Lorna shook her head, "Maybe, but there will be a hearing next week for temporary guardianship until then guardianship hearing. The kids will be in foster care until then."

"_Foster care?"_ Arizona didn't yell, she didn't want to unsettle Toby, who had already started to cling to her. Instead she hissed it out, which was probably worse.

Lorna blinked, "It's a great family, and hopefully things will be sorted out next week at the hearing, we'll know the day on Monday. Call your lawyer in the morning."

Arizona thought she was going to throw up. She held Toby harder, eyes flickering to the police officer behind Lorna, "Lawyer?"

"That's right. They can answer your questions, I'll be at the hearing, giving my input. The person who put in the allegations will be as well."

"Court?"

Arizona didn't want the kids dragged through the court system, dragged out of their _home_ to be dumped in foster care. They'd just lost their parents. They didn't need this.

"It wont be like on TV. Just a judge, a table, the lawyers. And of course, the caseworkers and child protective services. We will look in to these claims then, and see where that takes us."

Arizona was breathing too fast, "You're going to take them in to foster care? From their home? From me?"

Lorna nodded, "You know the system. The allegation was made. We have to investigate it and do what's best for the kids."

"What's best for them is being with _me_. In their home."

Lorna looked like she wanted to agree.

"What were the allegations?"

Lorna hesitated, "Neglect. Leaving the kids continuously. There was mention of," she hesitated, eyes going to Toby then back to Arizona, "A continuous parade of sexual partners. Among other things."

"Aunty Na?"

Arizona whipped around, to see Callie standing, pale faced and wide eyed a few metres behind her, and Ella and Teddy now standing in the doorway leading to the kitchen.

Arizona swallowed past the bile rising in her throat, "Ella Bella."

"What's going on?" Ella looked behind Arizona, "Why's there a pleeseman here?"

Arizona tried to smile, but she didn't think it worked. She didn't know what to say.

Lorna spoke from behind her, "Hey Ella, remember me?"

Ella clung to Teddy's side, nodding, knowing something was wrong.

"Well, we're gonna take you somewhere else to stay for a few nights."

Ella's eyes widened, "What? Why?"

"We have to sort some adult stuff out. So you need to sleep at a really nice older couple's house for a little while. With Toby. It'll be like a sleepover."

"No." Ella sounded incredibly confused. She looked up to Arizona, "Don't you want us, Aunty Na?"

Arizona shook her head vehemently, not wanting her to think that even for a second, "Of course I do, Ella." All she could see was the colour rising in Ella's face, the look of panic starting to take her over.

"I don't want to go anywhere. I don't know them."

Arizona took two steps forward and knelt and Ella flew into her outstretched arm, Arizona not putting Toby down. Ella's fingers clung in to her back and the next five minutes passed in a blur.

Callie went upstairs and packed Ella a bag, knowing to put in her panda teddy bear. Teddy did Toby's, throwing in his blanket and a pacifier, just in case, even though he hadn't needed one for weeks. Arizona's personal triumph.

Ella clung to her, her fingers going to leave bruises.

Arizona tried to reassure her, but Ella wasn't listening. Her cheeks were red and her little jaw was clenched as she looked from Lorna to Arizona and to the policeman in the back ground.

He was there to make sure it went smoothly.

Arizona told Ella it would be okay, that she'd sort it out.

Ella choked on a sob but nothing came out.

Teddy and Callie handed the bags over to the policeman, who took them quietly outside.

Arizona took Ella by the hand and followed Lorna to the car in the driveway, Toby quiet on her hip.

Lorna opened the door and Ella turned and flung herself into Arizona, finally breaking and hysterical sobs starting. Arizona held her to her and rubbed her back, tried to hold her so tightly Ella would know she would fight for her.

Lorna eventually tugged gently on Ella, her sobs turning in to a, "No, no, no!"

She finally broke her away and Arizona swallowed and watched the seven year old be put in the back of her car, Lorna buckling her in. Ella, always well behaved, sat in her seat even while racked with sobs.

Lorna shut the door and Ella turned in the seat putting her hand against the glass, tear streaked face visible even in the dark, "Aunt Na!"

Arizona tried to smile reassuringly at Ella, but she was shaking and she held Toby to her chest.

Lorna held her arms out for him and Arizona just couldn't hand him over.

"Arizona. Please."

Arizona held him against her, arm across his tiny back. She finally stepped forward and tried to lift Toby off herself and hand her to Lorna, but Toby had realised what was happening.

He started to cry. He clung on with more strength than Arizona knew such a tiny human could.

Lorna took, pulling him off her. His fingernails scratched her neck as he tried to hold on and he started to scream, kicking his legs and thrashing.

"Na! Na!"

Arizona wanted to open her mouth, to reassure him, but it felt like all her words were gone. She stood, arms still partially raised as if Toby was still in them and watched Lorna expertly get him in to the car seat in the back.

She shut the door and all Arizona could hear was Toby screaming. Ella had her legs pulled up on the seat and had her head pressed against her knees, hands over her ears like she could block out the world.

Lorna stood at the drivers door, the policeman had faded in to the background, gone wherever he had come from.

"Call your lawyer, Arizona. We'll get this sorted out."

Arizona nodded dumbly.

"They'll be well looked after."

She finally managed to ask a question, "When can I see them?"

"Call the office Monday."

Lorna was driving away, and Arizona could hear Toby's cries even as she reversed out the driveway. She watched the car go down the street, saw Ella kneel up on the seat and look out the back window, hand pressed to the glass in the exact same way in which she'd wait for Arizona to pick her up from Barbara's.

And then they were gone.

####

**I have done some slight investigation in to this guardianship stuff, and have seen that this can happen. In saying that, this is a story, and I am far from a lawyer or involved in any of this. I'm sorry if I get any facts wrong.**


	19. Chapter 19

**Title: **Changes  
**Author: **gabs88  
**Pairing: **Callie/Arizona  
**Summary: **When Arizona's brother dies in a car crash with his wife, she is named guardian of his two children. What does this mean for the life of someone who never wanted her own kids, let alone anyone elses?  
**Rating: **M. I feel like there needs to be a higher warning for the drama content. Is that weird?  
**Disclaimer: **All characters belong to ABC/Shonda Rhimes.  
**Note**: You guys are all so amazing with your feedback. Thanks for sticking with this. There's a lot I could say on the topic, but I wont bore you with all of that-just know I appreciate everything everyone has said :). Just think, with added drama means there's a lot more to go of this fic. That's a good thing, right?

After all my warnings of long waits, I was stuck on a long train trip. Writing didn't make the seat any less like concrete, but it was distracting and filled in the time ;). So here you go.

**Changes  
Chapter Nineteen**

It felt a little bit like being unable to breathe. Like someone had sucked all the air out of the place, which was impossible because Arizona was standing outside/

How had that just happened?

She spun slowly on her heel, turning to see Teddy standing at the bottom of the stairs that led to the house, hand raised as if to stop Lorna driving away. Callie was a step in front of Teddy, one foot forward and one foot back as if fighting with herself on whether or not to walk to Arizona.

Both were pale and looked shock, eyes wide; Arizona imagined she didn't look any better.

She felt herself shutting down.

It was like she'd just been told her brother had died all over again.

Swallowing heavily, Arizona opened her mouth to say something, looking from Teddy to Callie. She closed her mouth. She had no idea what to say.

"Arizona." Callie's voice was hoarse, "We'll fix this."

Callie stepped forward and Arizona mirrored it with a step a backwards and gave a small shake of her head, lips pursed. Stopping still, Callie stood, looking unsure and helpless.

Arizona felt herself picking at her nail with her thumb. She dropped her hands quickly. It wasn't a good habit.

Teddy stayed still, but caught Arizona's eye, "It's a load of shit. There's no way this will hold up in any kind of court."

Arizona gave a sharp nod, agreeance.

She suddenly stepped forward, Callie and Teddy almost stepping back at the shock of the movement. Arizona kept her gaze held forward and walked past Callie and Teddy, up the stairs and in to the house, the other two turning their heads to follow her movements. Teddy looked back to Callie and gave a slight raise of her eyebrows, both walking in behind Arizona.

Arizona walked in to the kitchen, pausing in the door for a split second to take in the plates set on the table, food probably cold now. Toby's high chair had his little plastic Batman plate on it, his food cut in to pieces the perfect size to grab on to.

Something Arizona had only known to do because she had remembered Sally doing it.

Toby didn't have much co-ordination with forks or spoons yet, and mostly resorted to his hands unless Arizona took over.

Ella's place was set up with a Princess Jasmine plate, her favourite Disney princess because she liked adventure like Ella did. Arizona hadn't put tomato on her plate, because Ella hated the way it felt in her mouth.

Would the foster carers know to do that? Would Ella have enough confidence to ask? Or after those hysterical sobs would she do what she did the weeks after her parents had died and just shut down and not talk.

Toby would just be so confused.

Biting her lip, Arizona walked forward to the table and started grabbing at whatever her hands got near, stacking full plates on top of each other, spilling food on the surface and not caring. She took a load to the sink and dumped it in, hearing a crack, walking back to the table to grab what was left. She didn't notice Teddy and Callie hovering in the doorway, watching her, Teddy's hand on Callie's forearm to stop her walking forward, for now.

Arizona dumped the second lot on the sink and started running water, scraping the plates clean in to the garbage. Turning to place some of the plates on the bench before going to grab more from the sink to scrape clean, she caught site of the brightly coloured book on the bench, pushed to the side by Ella to have read to her later in the evening.

Suddenly, Arizona could barely see straight. Cheeks flushed in anger, she turning the tap off forcefully and leaned forward, grabbing the Childrens Bible. She held it in front of her, eyes darting all over the cover, taking in the colourful Ark on the front, animals peeking from all kinds of portholes, big cartoon smiles on their faces.

Her knuckles were white, her grip was that hard.

Why was the book shaking?

She had absolutely no doubt in her mind who had done this.

Those kids had been through hell. They had been through hell and had just started to come out the other side. That scene in the backyard at Barbara's, with the kids playing, relaxed, getting covered in dirt and the squeal of laughter from Ella-that had taken a long, long time to happen. Arizona had worked her ass off to make sure they felt as secure and happy as they possibly could given they had lost their parents in a horrific accident. Ella, who was old enough to remember what she missed, and Toby, who would grow up not knowing if his memories were images he made up in his head from stories he was told, or if they were genuine wisps of the real thing.

She didn't know which was more sad.

And now Sally's _fucking_ mother had them torn out of their home. The only thing that had remained stable since their parents had died were the beds they woke up in, the kitchen they ate in, the bath filled with thier favourite water toys.

The Aunty who loved them fiercely and had had no idea how much she could do what she had been doing.

The book was still shaking.

Arizona put it on the bench and rest her hand on top of the cover for a minute, barely seeing it.

Ella had asked her if she didn't want them anymore.

Eyes flashing, Arizona opened the cover to a random page, the images a blur to her. She grabbed a page and tore it out, gripping it in her hands as she ripped it up, pieces falling around her. When she was left with nothing in her grasp, she did it with another handful of pages, and another.

She didn't stop until she felt strong hands wrap around her biceps, firmly gripping her, trying to snap her out of it.

It worked. Her flurry of movement stopped, and she realised she was breathing hard. Her hands gripped the edge of the bench and she felt like she was balancing over something. She closed her eyes for a minute, coming back to the kitchen. She felt Teddy's eyes on her in the doorway. She felt her fingertips biting in to the bench, the curve of the edge under her palm. Callie's fingers held her arms, her front not quite pressed to Arizona's back.

Arizona turned slowly in Callie's grip, Callie releasing her hold for a minute as she spun, then gently taking hold of her arms again. Arizona's hand raised up to rest against Callie's sternum, fingers clutching at the material of her shirt. The other hand stayed on the bench behind her, grip hard on the bench top.

She felt herself centre as Callie's eyes stared in to her own. Her fingers tightened on Callie's shirt. Arizona could feel her heart racing even under the material.

She finally spoke.

"They're gone."

Callie had tears in her eyes, "I know, sweetie."

"They're parents died only months ago, and now they're _gone_."

Callie nodded, "I know."

"Sally's mother is going to try and take them."

"She wont."

"What if she does?"

"She _wont_."

Arizona felt like there was no air again. "He trusted me. Tim-and Sally. They trusted their children with me and now they're in a foster home." Arizona wanted to punch something, "A _foster_ home, Callie."

Callie pulled her forward and into her arms and Arizona wanted to resist but when Callie's arms wrapped around her she felt herself mold against her, hand trapped between them, other hand finally letting go of the bench, fingers digging in to Callie's back.

"I know, Arizona."

She pressed her forehead against Callie's shoulder.

Lorna had said she could call the office Monday? Tomorrow was Sunday. That mean it would most likely be almost fourty eight hours until Arizona would see them, or even know they were okay. That's even if they let her see them. She was being investigated. From her small knowledge on these things, she may not even be able to see them until the hearing later in the week.

Fuck.

She finally pulled back from Callie, looking around at the mess in the kitchen, the ripped paper on the floor, the plates in the sink, on the bench, one of them broken from being dropped too hard.

She turned to see Teddy leaning against the door frame, biting her lip.

"Sorry. About the display."

Teddy shrugged, "When Henry died, I broke every plate we had chosen together." She gave a small smile, "Then I spent the next two days glueing them back together."

Arizona nodded. She stepped out of Callie's arms completely and walked around to the table, sitting down at it, resting her elbows on the edge, her head falling in to her hands. She heard chairs push back as Callie and Teddy sat around the table.

Teddy spoke first, "Right. Well, this is bullshit and it will get fixed. We'll fix it. We'll call your lawyer in the morning, Arizona, he'll know more. And he'll have access to the legal information, the complaints this bitch has put forward."

Arizona nodded in to her hands.

Callie joined in, "My father speaks to me these days, I'll call him and ask him what lawyer to use here."

Arizona spoke down to the table, "Yeah. I suppose the lawyer we used was more looking after Tim and Sally's will. We'll need a lawyer who actually works in this kind of family law."

Callie's hand slid against her knee, resting there.

"I'll talk to my father. He'll know someone."

Teddy spoke, "And Callie and I can testify to the fact that you in no way neglect those kids."

Arizona nodded again, fingertips digging in to her scalp.

Callie joined, "That's right. And there's so many others who will, as well. Everyone knows you do nothing but the best for them."

Arizona nodded again.

"I need to call Jayde." She looked up from her hands finally as she felt Callie's hand twitch on her knee. To Callie's credit, her expression didn't change. Arizona smiled slightly at her, it not reaching her eyes even remotely, "It's a Sunday tomorrow, getting clear answers is going to be impossible. She will at least have some information, maybe make me feel better about my position in all this."

Callie nodded, fingers squeezing her knee, "Good idea."

Arizona put her head back in her hands. She had a headache. They were all silent for a minute.

Arizona finally spoke again, not able to look up at them. "Toby needs a bottle fof milk to settle before sleep. Do you think they'll know that?"

The silence was palpable as Teddy swallowed heavily at the tone in Arizona's voice and Callie tightened her grip on her knee.

"And Ella was promised two stories tonight. She got first in her spelling test at school. She was really excited she got to choose dinner." Her voice cracked at the last word and Arizona just couldn't believe this had happened. "This isn't fair. On them."

"It's not. Or on you."

Arizona loved Teddy in that moment.

They eventually moved to the loungeroom, putting on something to try and distract themselves. When that movie finished, they put on another DVD and about halfway through, all were asleep.

Arizona woke up as the credits were rolling, looking to the right to see Teddy curled in a ball in the corner of the giant couch. On her left, Callie was slouched down in the couch, chin on her chest, fast asleep.

Normally, Ella would be curled into one of them, or somehow over all three, fast asleep and probably kicking Arizona in the stomach.

She clenched her jaw and stood up quietly, easing Callie's hand off her thigh and on to the couch gently. Walking out the room, she made her way up the stairs and hovered outside Toby's room. It made her stomach clench, for it to be the middle of the night and his crib be empty. She flicked the light off, left on from getting him dressed after his bath and walked to Ella's, her room a mess from her rushing around to get ready after her shower. Arizona walked in and picked up the damp towel, hanging it over the end of the bed. A pile of books sat on her mattress, in two piles. Undoubtedly, she had been trying to sort out the good stories from the bad to try and figure out which one to get Teddy to read to her. Arizona was sure all of the books there were the longest ones in her collection.

She crossed her arms over her chest and looked up as she heard a floor board creak. Callie stood in the hallway, leaning against the door frame. She gave a sad smile.

"How you doing?"

Arizona shrugged.

Callie nodded.

Arizona stepped forward, leaning her forehead against Callie's shoulder again, almost sighing as her arms wrapped around her. Lifting her head up slowly, she pressed her lips to Callie's, gently at first, Callie tilting her head to reciprocate.

Arizona deepened the kiss, raising her hands up to cup Callie's face, tongue pushing in to her mouth. Callie didn't question, instead responded in kind, arms tightening around her. Pushing her backwards, they ended up in Arizona's room, clothes pulled off and falling on to the bed, skin pressed together.

There was no way Arizona felt like sleeping, and she needed to not think. Because the second she did, a pit of nausea started in her stomach and the words _'what if I don't get them back'_ played around her mind like a mantra.

So instead, Arizona lost herself in the sound and taste and feel of Callie.

When Arizona woke up, early, out of habit, she had a minute where she opened her eyes and expected to see Ella bouncing on the end of the bed and asking for breakfast.

The memory of last night hit her heavily.

Waking up with Callie for the second morning in a row should have been an enjoyable bonus, something she got to enjoy.

Instead, it wasn't because they'd reached that point, had a conversation with Ella about it, about Callie staying, about knocking, about how the kids would always come first.

It was because the kids were in foster care that she woke up with Callie that morning.

Had she been too selfish with her relationship? Prioritised wrong? Thought of herself when she should have been thinking of the kids more? Spending time with Callie too much?

Arizona rolled slightly, taking in the site of Callie behind her, face soft with sleep, hair dark against the white of her pillow.

Pressing a soft kiss to her forehead, Arizona slid out of bed, grabbing some clean clothes and heading to shower. She used her brothers room, not wanting to see the toys in the other bathroom right at that moment. She showered quickly, pulling clothes on. As she left the bathroom, she looked at her watch, seeing it was only seven. Far too early to achieve anything productive except maybe call Jayde, which Arizona found she just didn't have the energy for after just waking up. She needed coffee, and she needed to know the kids were okay. She felt sick that she was expected to wait until the next day.

She padded down the stairs, a tug of guilt registering that she hadn't even set Teddy up with pillows or a blanket.

As she got to the bottom of the stairs, she was hit with something that smelt amazing and she followed it in to the kitchen, smiling slightly when she saw Teddy cooking, kitchen now clean except for the pan on the stove. Teddy looked up and automatically handed her a cup of coffee.

"Sit."

Arizona sat and a plate of eggs and bacon were put in front of her.

"Eat."

Arizona hesitated. She looked up pitifully to see Teddy with her hands on her hip, spatula poking out ridiculously, eyebrows raised.

"Don't try that look on me. You didn't eat dinner. Eat."

Arizona picked up her fork, and made exaggerated movements as she stabbed at a scrambled egg and put it in her mouth, chewing dramatically.

Teddy nodded once and went back to the kitchen, returning to sit down with her own plate. Arizona suddenly realised she was starving, despite the nausea eating at her stomach. Callie not there for her to feel the need to be attractive in front of, Arizona wolfed down her food.

Making Arizona love her even more, Teddy didn't even raise an eyebrow at how quickly she inhaled her meal.

"Did you sleep?"

Arizona shrugged, "Kind of."

"Have lots of sex to try and distract yourself?" Arizona paused mid chew, Teddy shaking her head, "You are so predictable."

Arizona sipped her coffee. She put the mug down, fingers still wrapped around the warmed china, "Teddy," she stared at the mug, "I have to get those kids back."

Teddy nodded, "You will."

"This is-how did this happen?"

"People are assholes." Teddy reconsidered, "_Some_ people are assholes. Can you call Jayde? Not that I think you should, she's an asshole, too. But she may have some insight."

Arizona rolled her eyes slightly, "She's not an asshole. She made a choice. One I might have even made in her position." She paused, _"Probably _would have made." She corrected.

"I'm your best friend. She broke up with you. I automatically get to think she's an asshole." Teddy looked at her over her cup, "It's how this works."

Arizona managed a small smile, "Okay." She put her knife and fork down, food devoured, "I'll call her. It's still early." Arizona picked up her cup but suddenly slammed it down, "This is so _frustrating_." Teddy blinked in surprise at the outburst, "It's fucking Sunday. Getting a hold of a lawyer is going to be impossible. I can't even call the office to find out if they're okay until tomorrow. It's too early to even call Jayde. How the fuck am I supposed to fix this!?"

Arizona looked at Teddy, eyes pleading with her. Teddy leaned forward and rest her fingers over her forearm, "Give it a few hours. Callie will call her father as soon as she's up and we'll have the name of an amazing lawyer. You can call Jayde, who may also know someone and will hopefully have some reassuring information. The second you wake up tomorrow you can start calling Child Protective Services constantly until they answer." She squeezed Arizona's arm, "I know this isn't going to help much, but they will be okay. Lorna said they were a nice older couple. This kids will be fine."

Arizona gave a curt nod.

Teddy let go of her arm and leant back in her chair. They didn't speak much more, for awhile. They sat silently, sipping second cups of coffee.

Arizona sat up straighter as she heard Callie coming down the stairs, and she smiled at her as she walked in the room. Teddy stood up and started getting her some food, handing her a very large mug of coffee that Callie took gratefully. She slid in to a chair, leaning forward and kissing Arizona once before sitting back.

"I just spoke to my father."

Arizona looked surprised, "It's so early."

"He's a big boy, he coped. He's going to contact his scarily large group of lawyers and give me some names."

Arizona nodded, grateful, "Thank you, Callie."

Callie looked at her, head tilted, "Anything I can do to help."

Teddy put a plate of food in front of her and Callie groaned, "Thanks, Teddy. Starving."

She tucked in to it in a slightly more lady like manner than Arizona had.

They sat silently while Callie ate, none of them overly certain what to say. As Callie finished, her phone rang in her pocket and she grabbed it out.

"Hola, Daddy." She made eye contact with Arizona before standing and wandering out of the room speaking fast Spanish.

Teddy looked at Arizona, "Step one. Things are happening."

Arizona, hands wrapped around her coffee mug, nodded. She was on edge, needing things to start moving and stuck in a frustrating place of having to wait.

Callie walked back in a few minutes later, looking weirdly at her phone.

"All okay?" Arizona asked.

Callie nodded, sitting back down and looking from Teddy to Arizona.

"He gave me a name, Scott Matthews. Apparently a renowned Family Law attorney in Seattle. I'll have his contact details, he's going to text them to me." Callie cleared her throat slightly, "He's also well known for working Gay and Lesbian cases." Arizona raised her eyebrows. Callie was looking down at her phone suspiciously. "Dad said he made sure it was someone who would be appropriate for the case and would actually help." Callie looked up at them, "Well, that's new. And not entirely unwelcome."

Teddy nodded, "About time."

Callie smiled, the first real smile any of them had made since yesterday afternoon, "Really is."

Arizona put her hand over Callie's on top of the table and linked their fingers together, "That's awesome, Callie."

"Well, Daddy did always like being a superhero. He's not a bad guy," Callie chewed her lip for a moment, "He just, struggles." She slid her phone across to Arizona, a text with a contact number for Scott Matthews on display, "He said he's contactable on Sundays from nine."

Arizona nodded, looking at her watch. It was only eight.

Teddy spoke from across the table, "Arizona, I'm really sorry but I need to be at work in an hour."

"Stop looking guilty. You need to go save hearts. I think I'm going to be on the phone most of the day." A look of horror suddenly crossed her face, "God, I need to tell Mom, too. I'll have to go over there."

"Will you text me, with any news. Or if I can do anything?"

Arizona nodded.

"I mean it, anything at all. Even if its just to bring over bottles of wine tonight."

Arizona gave a small smile and nodded, "I will, I promise."

Teddy stood up.

"And Teddy?"

She looked back as she started to walk out the room, "Yeah?"

"Thank you."

Teddy smiled at her, "There's no way in hell any of us are going to let them take those kids for good, Arizona."

Teddy slipped out quietly.

Arizona looked across at Callie, "Are you okay with me calling Jayde?"

Callie nodded, "Don't be silly. Sorry if you felt the hand twitch last night. Automatic reaction." She looked at Arizona intently, "Are you okay with calling her?"

Arizona shrugged, "Probably not, normally. She called ages ago, not long after we ended, to 'check up'-I asked her to leave me alone, which she respected. But right now she's the only one who might have some answers and I can't sit here all morning just waiting."

"I'm supposed to work at nine, too. I was thinking I'd call in sick?"

Arizona shook her head, "As much as I really would like that, Randalls is off, too, remember?"

Callie's face fell, "Oh, yeah."

"Hunt would skin you alive."

"He'll probably do that, anyway, he's that grumpy lately."

Arizona nodded, "Probably."

Callie stood up and leaned forward, pressing her lips to Arizona's cheek, "Don't shut down on me, Arizona." She whispered against her skin.

Arizona looked up in surprise, "What?"

Callie looked down at her, head tilted, eyes intense, "I can see it. You did it last night and you've not completely come back. Which is fine, if that's what you need to do. This situation is just, painful. But I'm here, okay?"

Arizona tried to smile, "I know." She looked up at Callie a moment, taking her in, "I'm sorry. It's something I do."

"I get it. Just, talk to me. Don't disappear completely."

Arizona gave a nod, "I wont." Callie gave a smile and Arizona raised her hand up, taking a fistful of her shirt and tugging her down, kissing her softly. Pulling back, she said, "Thank you. For being so amazing."

Callie shook her head and kissed her again, "Call me, okay? If you need anything? I'll be able to get away, if I need to."

Arizona nodded, "I will."

Callie hovered, not wanting to go, half bent over the table where she'd leant to kiss Arizona. Arizona managed a small laugh, "Go, or we'll sit here all day not wanting you to leave."

Callie gave a quiet laugh and turned, pausing at the door way and looking back, "Seriously-call. I'll come straight away."

"I will."

The sound of the door closing left Arizona in a house of silence.

She sat at the table, felt the food sitting solidly in her stomach.

It was eight am. On a Sunday. Normally, they'd be planning something. Ella would be asking for things she wanted to do, the cinema, the zoo, the park. She'd be full of energy, ideas, kinetic and endearing. Toby would be clambering on to her lap while she desperately tried to drink a coffee, his face covered in peanut butter. He'd press his sticky hands to her cheeks, kneeling on her legs, and grin at her.

"Na." He'd say, absolutely delighted that she was there, as she was every morning. He'd press a sloppy kiss to her cheeks and she'd laugh, tickling him, and his giggle would sound out.

Cartoons might be on, if Ella had managed to wear her down, or they'd put music on, classics her brother had loved that Arizona, the last few weeks, had started to pull out and play.

Arizona had wanted to start telling Ella stories, soon. Not yet, but soon. Stories of Tim and her when they'd been kids, brother and sister. She'd wanted to tell Ella how Tim had hated tomato like her and that he could build a fort out of anything. She wanted to tell Ella how Sally had once said that Jasmine was her favourite princess, too, and that she'd eat tomato's like an apple.

They'd started to move towards these things, and Arizona was so angry they weren't there right now, chattering and loud and happily ruining what could be a peaceful Sunday morning.

She'd worked so hard to bring security to their lives.

How would they, Ella especially, feel secure again after this even if Arizona managed to get them back? With the memory that someone could turn up at night and take them away planted in her head?

Would this had happened if Catchy hadn't found out she was gay? If she wasn't in a relationship, would Cathy still have complained to Child Services?

Arizona needed to do something.

She went upstairs and grabbed her phone, scrolling through her contacts until she found Jayde's name and hit call.

She got her voicemail. Hearing her voice after so long barely registered with the mood Arizona was in.

At the beep, she left a message, "Jayde, it's me, Arizona. I'm sorry to call, I just need your help. Or to ask you some stuff. The kids got taken off me last night and put in to foster care, Sally's crazy mother has told protective services I'm neglecting them." Arizona paused, the anger at it making her voice shake, "I just need to know where I stand. I need them back. Can you call me, if you have a chance? Thanks."

She hung up, sitting on the edge of the bed, at a complete loss of what to do.

She needed to tell her mother.

Maybe, if they wouldn't let Arizona see the kids tomorrow, they might let Barbara. There was no reason they wouldn't at least let that happen. Arizona, while seething with anger at this, knew that Lorna had had to follow a protocol, but that the system always tried to work in favour of the kids. She knew people got supervised visits, who maybe shouldn't even be allowed them. Surely Arizona would get that, or at least Barbara could. Kids needed their family, something familiar.

Nodding to herself, she took a deep breath and stood up. She'd go to her mothers.

Her phone beeped and she looked down. Callie had forwarded the lawyers contact details, with possibly twenty x's at the end. She sent an 'x' back with a thank you, walking down the stairs, grabbing her bag and keys and getting in to the car, she made her way to her parents.

She pulled in to the driveway and sat for a minute, hands gripping the steering wheel. Her mother was not going to take this well.

Arizona took in a deep breath and got out of the car, walking up the front path and knocking on the door, opening it as she did so, calling down the hallway, "Mom?"

"Arizona? In the kitchen!"

Arizona walked down the hallway and in to the kitchen, seeing Barbara hovering over a sinkful of dishes, her back to her. She glanced over her shoulder briefly, "Hey, honey. Where's my gorgeous grandkids?"

Arizona opened her mouth to answer her and just found she couldn't. When she didn't receive an answer, Barbara turned around, hands wet, reaching for a towel and drying them, "Honey?" She looked at Arizona properly, finally, and Barbara's hands stilled, towel still clutched in them. Her face paled, "Arizona. Where are the kids?"

Arizona could see the panic that took over Barbara's eyes and forced herself to answer, "They-they're okay. They aren't hurt."

Barbara's expression didn't change, "Whats happened then?"

Arizona swallowed heavily, "Cathy has told Child Services I was neglecting them. The kids were taken in to foster care last night."

Barbara dropped the towel.

"And, on top of that, she's petitioned the court for guardianship."

Barbara's face was no longer pale, her cheeks were flushed, "They're in _foster_ care? Are they okay?"

Her voice was wavering, angry. Arizona nodded, "I can't find out until tomorrow, but they're okay, I think."

"Why the _fuck_," Arizona had never heard her mother use that word, "would that idiotic woman tell them you were neglecting them?"

Arizona made herself walk forward and sit at the table. Barbara didn't move.

"She showed up a few weeks back, when I had to work late and they were here with you?"

Barbara nodded, "So?"

"She showed up and," Arizona almost winced, "Callie had stayed. She kind of accused me of neglecting them then, implying I wasn't doing what was best for them."

"That's not grounds for any of this."

Arizona shrugged, "I think she showed up Friday night, when the kids were here again. She left them a Childrens Bible," Barbara's eyebrows shot up but she stayed silent, "No one was home that night. Who knows what she told them, Mom."

Barbara walked stiffly to the table and sat opposite from Arizona, "I still don't understand how that could mean they get taken?"

"Me too, to be honest. She's been implying im flaunting," Arizona blushed, "Sexual partners. The system works quickly, they have to investigate anything that resembles abuse."

"That's just ridiculous. My poor kids."

Arizona nodded, "God, Mom. They had to pull them both off of me."

Barbara blanched. She didn't know what to say to that, the idea of her gandkids, who had just lost their parents, being forcibly removed from the house.

They were silent a minute, before Barbara spoke, "So what's going to happen?"

"Well, Callie got the name of someone who's supposed to be an amazing family lawyer. I'm going to call him at nine."

"I can't believe that woman has petitioned to take them. And caused them so much grief for them by doing this."

"I know." Arizona bit her lip, "There'll be a hearing for temporary custody during the week, apparently. To look in to the claims made against me. Then there'll have to be a full custody hearing now, since she's petitioned the court. There wasn't going to need to be, it was all straight forward with me having them."

Barbara looked ready to explode, face flushed and eyes glittering, "That woman, is a-" She sought for the right word, "she's a bitch."

Arizona gave a short laugh. "She is."

"You look calm."

Arizona shrugged, "I'm not. I just-I'm not. I tore up the book she left them."

"Good. Stupid cow."

They sat quietly for a minute.

"Mom. This is-I literally can't do anything. I want to go to them and get them."

"I know." Barbara looked up at the clock on the wall, "It's after nine. Call the lawyer."

Arizona pulled out her phone and called the number Callie had texted through.

"It's engaged."

Barbara looked ready to throw something, "For godsakes." she muttered. She stood up, "Tea?"

She clearly needed to do something.

Arizona shook her head no. Barbara pulled two mugs out anyway and started making them both tea.

Hitting redial on her phone, it rang this time.

Someone answered.

_"Scott Matthews."_

"Uh-hi. My name is Arizona Robbins, I-"

_"Yes, Doctor Robbins? I just got off the phone with Jayde Sears. She's filled me in a little on your situation."_

Arizona felt her mouth drop open, "Um."

_"We went to law school together. Now, I have most of the details, kids names and so forth. I just need the morning to recover information. There is a branch of Child Services open, there's always someone in the office, these things unfortunately needing someone on them all the time. I know the guy in on Sundays personally. I'm going to get as much information about the complaints made as possible, and then I'm going to call you and have you come in this afternoon to go over what I have, and what I need from you. Does this sound agreeable?"_

Arizona shut her mouth, then opened it again. This guy was amazing. "Yes. Yes, that sounds good."

_"I know you'll have a lot of questions, but if we can save them for when you come in, we can go over everything at once."_

"Uh-Okay."

_"Good. I'll be calling you, most likely around twelve. I have your number now you've called."_

"Thanks-wait, Mr Matthews?"

_"Call me Scott."_

Arizona looked blindly at the mug of tea she didn't want that Barbara had just put down in front of her, "When you call the office, can you please try get an update on the kids? I just want to know they're okay."

_"Of course. I'll call you soon."_

And he was gone.

Arizona put her phone down and stared at it.

"Well!?"

Arizona looked up in surprise at her mother, who was looking at her expectantly, "Um. Jayde had already contacted him, they went to school together."

"You called Jayde?"

"This morning, I only left a voicemail. I wanted to ask her some questions."

"She always has known how to get stuff done."

Arizona nodded. Jayde had always been good in a crisis.

"Well, he's contacting child services, some branch that's always operating us mere mortals have no chance of contacting. He's going to get all the info he needs from them then call me to come in this afternoon and answer my questions and get my side."

Barbara nodded, "And he'll find out about the kids?"

"Yes."

Barbara thumped her mug down in the same manner Arizona had only an hour before, "This is just absurd. They're my grandkids and your niece and nephew. We should be allowed to go right now and get them."

Arizona nodded dumbly.

"Arizona. What are you thinking?"

Arizona had been staring at a single spot on the wall, lost in thought, "Nothing."

Barbara eyed her but knew better than to push her.

Arizona's phone rang again and she looked down, picking it up when she saw who it was, "Jayde?"

_"Arizona. Hey. I'm sorry, the second I got your message I called my friend in Seattle, he's a Family Law attorney."_

Arizona nodded, "I know, he's the same guy I had recommended to me. I called him and he was already on to it. Thank you, for that."

_"He's amazing. He'd practically changed the face of law when it comes to Gay and Lesbian families in Washington. I know the issue is apparently neglect, but if I remember Sally's mother correctly, it wont be just about that."_

"I think you're right."

_"How are you?"_

Arizona swallowed, letting a breath out slowly between her lips, "I'm okay. I'm worried about the kids, and what this will do to them. What if I don't get them back?"

_"There are a lot of horror stories about the foster system, but I'm sure they'll be okay. Most people are doing it because they really care about this kids. As for the rest of it-you must have questions. Shoot."_

Arizona put the phone down twenty minutes later, Barbara back in the kitchen finishing the dishes. She looked at Arizona, "What she say?"

Taking a deep breath, Arizona filled her in, "Well. If things go well at the first hearing, for temporary guardianship, they will probably get placed back with me in the interim until the guardianship hearing after it."

Barbara nodded, slightly pale again, "Good. And if they don't?"

Arizona shrugged, "They'll go to you, or to Cathy, or back in to foster care. And I wont be considered at the guardianship hearing, because I will be busy being charged."

Barbara went possibly paler, "But surely the chances are slim? You haven't neglected them!"

Arizona gave a nod. She was exhausted. "Jayde said the chance of that happening are slim to none. In fact, she thinks that the judge may throw the whole thing out of court, because it seems there's been nothing that could possibly resemble neglect."

"So Cathy is traumatising you and the kids for nothing." Arizona gave a nod. "But we wont really know much until after this meeting with your lawyer?" Arizona nodded again, "Or until the hearing?" Another nod.

Barbara sat down heavily.

"I'll ask him about visitation. About seeing the kids hopefully tomorrow. If not me, then at least you."

Barbara nodded.

Arizona felt nauseated again, "God, Mom. Toby will be so confused."

Barbara's eyes filled with tears, "Arizona, don't."

Arizona wanted to say that Ella had looked at her and asked if she didn't want them anymore, but didn't want to see her mother cry.

She stayed at her mothers, mostly quiet, her father out somewhere, until Scott called and told her to come in.

Arizona assured her mother she'd call and let her know what he said.

She drove there as quickly as she could, mind racing.

The kids were gone. Cathy had put out false claims. And because of it, Arizona was going to court. She may lose the kids.

Would Cathy have done it if she hadn't seen Arizona with Callie?

Should Arizona have followed that small voice in the back of her head that said it was too soon for the kids to date, too soon maybe even for herself?

She needed to prove to a court of law that she didn't neglect the kids, that she was the right person to be raising them.

She weaved through traffic, lost in thought.

It's incredible, really, a few months ago and she had thought she was the worst person for this. Had wanted her parents to do it, any one else, really, but her. She didn't think she was cut out for it, that she was too selfish, too happy being free and childless. Arizona had thought her brother and sister-in-law were crazy, to think to leave a seven year old and a now eighteen month old in her care.

She was the least nurturing person she had known.

She lived for her own life, her career, for nights out and selfish nights in that revolved around her own wants and needs. She'd vowed to herself long ago to never have a child.

Now?

Now she couldn't imagine her life without those two kids being a part of it. The three of them had learnt each other, had spent months learning how to be a unit.

Arizona would much prefer Tim and Sally be alive, but they weren't, and this was her life, and she in no way wanted it to change if this was her reality.

Those kids were too important to her.

She pulled up to the address the lawyer had given her and made her way to the building, getting buzzed in. She was met by a polished man, in a well cut, dark grey suit, hair stylishly cut. He looked like he belonged in a court room drama, with his easy smile and charming presence. He held a hand out to her, wedding band glittering, "Doctor Robbins? Scott. My secretary would normally greet you, but it's Sunday, so it's just me today."

Arizona shook his hand, "Please, call me Arizona."

He clapped his hands together, "Great. Follow me."

She followed him in to well lit office, seating herself in front of a dark mahogany desk opposite where Scott sat.

"Now, I wont keep you waiting on this part-I spoke to a Ben in the Child Services office, and he had spoken with the foster family with the kids this morning, a routine follow up considering they only got there last night."

Arizona was hanging on to his every word.

"I've been assured the kids are fine." Arizona relaxed back in to the seat slightly, her muscles not tense for the first time since last night, "Ella has been quiet, not talking very much. Picking at her food."

Arizona nodded distractedly, "We only really just got her eating normally again after her parents deaths."

Scott nodded, "Another reason I am very unimpressed at this situation. Toby, he's been good. He woke up once or twice over night, but is fine."

"Good." Arizona didn't know what to say, "I want to see them, Scott."

Scott nodded, "I know. Call the office in the morning, speak to your case worker. See where you go from then. Call me if you aren't happy with whatever they say."

"Okay."

Scott sat up straighter, "Now. Lets go over everything."

And that's what they did. For an hour, Arizona sat in his office. He got her to go over how she had gotten the kids in to her care, how they had been since then, her work status, if Toby was in day care, something he assured her had zero weigh in on neglect.

"Half the families in America would be neglecting their kids, if that was the case." He said easily, his voice conveying how ridiculous that would be.

He then filled her in on where they stood. Cathy had called child protection weeks ago and expressed concerns to Lorna that Arizona wasn't doing right by the kids. She believed she was neglecting them by barely being at home with them.

That, Arizona thought, explained the more frequent Lorna visits. She'd been checking in.

Scott told her that then, yesterday, Cathy had called Lorna again and put in an official complaint. She claimed she had been by the house and no one had been home all night, but that she had driven by the hospital and seen Arizona leave with 'some woman' and enter her apartment. Cathy, out of concern, had hung around and visited the house frequently to see where the kids were, or Arizona. None had appeared.

She claims that she has seen 'at least' two women frequenting Arizona's house regularly, a fair haired one was staying the night regularly.

Scott continued to fill her in, and Arizona felt the anger rising.

Cathy had been watching them.

Cathy had claimed Arizona worked more than she saw the children, had to work inappropriate hours so would 'dump' the kids with their grandparents and seemed to have this parade of women over and ignore the kids. She claimed Arizona was flaunting inappropriate sexual behaviours.

Scott laid it out and then had Arizona gave her side.

Arizona explained her situation with Callie, the respect they showed for the kids. She explained that the kids actually adored her. Arizona explained that Teddy had lost her husband and was a close friend who yes, did sometimes stay the house, but not as a lover, as a friend. A friend who needed her support. The kids also, she told Scott, adored Teddy. And none of them were over every night, at all, Arizona making sure to have nights just her and the kids.

She explained that only once had she had to have her mother take the kids because of an emergency when a school bus collided with a truck, and she was a paediatric surgeon. She told him she was home pretty much every night with the kids and had Toby in the day care at the hospital so he was near her.

She explained everything, and Scott nodded and wrote everything.

Arizona had never had to defend her life before, and she was not enjoying it.

When they finished talking, Scott leant back in his chair and looked at her, "To me," he said, "This sounds like someone out to cause problems. It sounds like her claims are exaggerated and false, even if she believes them to be true. Nothing says neglect, and Arizona, I want to reassure you that I think we'll be coming out on top with this one."

Arizona let out a breath she hadn't realised she'd been holding, "Are you sure?"

Scott nodded, "I can't give any guarantees. But it sounds like this is a woman who's extreme religious beliefs and personal dislike for choices you are entitled to make as a guardian, such as day care, have led her to make some pretty extreme, false claims. All parents who work have their kids stay with grandparents at times. You've never left the kids alone, you've never beaten them, or verbally abused them. They are fed, in school, clothed-I don't think she has a leg to stand on."

Arizona nodded, slightly reassured, worry still eating at her.

"As for the 'sexual partners'-you are allowed to date." He smiled at her, "No one said this means you need to become a spinster. We will be needing this 'Teddy' to establish that she is in no way involved with you in that manner, anyway."

"There will be no issue with that."

"And Callie will probably need to testify to the manner of your relationship. I'll need a list of names from you for Character References, some written, I may ask some to testify. People like the day care workers, your boss, your mother, teachers at Ella's school. We won't be using Callie or Teddy due to the allegations made against them. But any one else is fine."

Arizona nodded.

She left him with a list of names and numbers. Her head was spinning.

She looked at the photo on his desk as she stood to go, a smiling woman with her arms wrapped around two young boys.

"Thank you, Scott. You have a beautiful family."

He smiled at the photo, "I do. I just happen to believe that everyone deserves to have what I have."

She smiled at him and as she turned to go he called her back, "Arizona! Do you mind me asking," He grinned and Arizona could see the man peek through that would have probably had many a wild party with her ex in law school, "Do you mind me asking-how the hell did you tie down Jayde for three years?"

Arizona almost laughed, "We thought we wanted the same things."

He nodded, "And now?"

"Now I just want those kids back."

He nodded, "I'll be in contact. Call me tomorrow if you have any issues with Lorna. Unfortunately, they have their own policies us lawyers don't get much say in."

Arizona nodded, thanked him again, and left.

She didn't feel like she was any closer to having the kids back.

This whole thing felt like a nightmare.

She made her way back to her car and sat for a minute, staring out the window.

It looked like it would be in her favour, but Scott had said no guarantees. And when she asked that if she _did_ get them back this week, how would the permanent guardianship hearing go, he had said they'd take it one at a time. That if she got them back temporarily, the court usually finds in favour of whoever the parents have named come the guardianship hearing. But, he'd said, their focus was the temporary guardianship hearing and disputing the neglect claims for now.

She couldn't help but wonder, how would the permanent guardianship hearing go with this on her record?

Arizona felt ill, her head was spinning.

Her brother had wanted her to take care of Ella and Toby, and here they all were, caught up in the court system and the kids dragged in to foster care.

Cathy's main argument against them was her relationship. Laced behind the 'neglect' claims, was bigotry.

Even Arizona had felt it was too soon, though, not good for the kids, to start dating. Yes, they loved Callie, but Arizona's focus should be the kids, not dating. Had she, in some small way, neglected the kids for Callie? She hadn't thought she had.

Callie was someone who had made her life so much more positive during an incredibly trying time. She didn't really understand how she was meant to have stopped it from happening. Should she have?

Her thoughts were reeling.

Her fingers gripped the steering wheel and her heart was pounding in her chest. She glanced in to the rear view mirror and caught site of the scratches on her neck Toby had made as Lorna had pulled him off her. They were tiny, thin, but long; he had not let go until forced, maintaining contact before being ripped away.

What if she didn't get them back? Despite what Scott said? They'd been taken once. Or what if she did and then the judge found in favour of Cathy at the other hearing? Cathy who had a stable home life, who wasn't a lesbian in a new relationship. Even scratch the lesbian part, Cathy was settled down, married. Cathy who didn't work full time.

Cathy wouldn't use the kids having a sleep over as an excuse to stay the night at her girlfriends for an all nighter.

Head hurting from beating herself up, Arizona drove blindly. She looked at the clock, and instead of parking across the street of the hospital, parked at it. She sat for a minute, staring blindly ahead.

She pulled her phone out and sent a text to Teddy.

_Gonna need that wine tonight, please._

She needed to make sure she got the kids back. Tim and Sally would not want them in foster care, or at Cathy's. They didn't even want them with Barbara or Daniel, and in seeing how her father had been since Tim had died, she was starting to understand that decision even more than she had in the beginning.

Arizona climbed out the car and took the back hallways to the paeds ward. She went in to her office, avoiding eye contact with anyone who recognised her. Closing the door behind herself, she stood in the room, looking around, bracing herself for something she realised she had been headed towards all day.

There was a finger painting Toby had done in day care on her wall, next to a drawing Ella had done. Toby's painting was all red, his current favourite colour. Ella had drawn herself and Toby with Arizona in between them, and on a cloud over their house, Tim and Sally. All had big smiles on their faces. The counsellor at the school had been delighted with it, explaining that it was Ella processing.

Taking in a deep breath, Arizona went to the phone and pressed the buttons she needed to, hanging it up and leaning against the desk, facing the door, arms crossed over her chest and she waited.

It didn't take Callie long, of course.

She entered the office, concern on her face, Arizona standing and taking a step forward as she did so. Arizona wanted to smile, she looked so familiar, so worried about her. Callie had her lab coat pulled over her scrubs, sleeves rolled up to her elbows.

Callie closed the door, stepping forward in to the room. She stopped still when Arizona mirrored her forward motion with a step back.

She had really started to learn Arizona's body language.

"Arizona? What's happened? Did you see the lawyer?"

Arizona kept her arms crossed in front of her. She nodded, "I did. He's really hopeful that I'll get them back."

Callie looked relieved, "Thank God. Did you get news of them?"

"I did. They're okay, apparently. I still don't know if I'll get to see them tomorrow."

"Hopefully you can. You'll feel so much better if you can seem them with your own eyes."

Arizona nodded, not quite making eye contact with Callie.

Callie looked at her for a second, "Arizona? What's wrong?"

Arizona needed to say it and she was having a lot of trouble doing so. She swallowed and finally looked Callie in the eye properly. She set her jaw and tried to get herself together to say what she needed to.

Callie almost took a step back. She shook her head, her cheeks flushing. "Arizona." Her voice was low, "No."

"Callie..."

"No. Don't do this."

"Callie. I'm sorry." Arizona set her jaw, "I need to get them back."

"You will. You will!" Callie looked almost wild eyed, her eyes glazed, "Arizona, you said the lawyer thought it sounded good."

Arizona gave a nod, "He did." She licked her lips, suddenly dry, "But, what about later? The other hearing? I-what about if I do get them back?'

"Then that's a good thing."

"But then, the other hearing. Proving I should have them."

"What?"

She didn't know how to explain it to Callie. She could barely explain it to herself.

"I think this was too soon, for the kids. For me, with the kids. I need to focus, on them." Callie shook her head, staring at Arizona like she didn't recognise her. "Callie...I think..."

"You can't even say it." Callie flared, challenged her, unable to believe what Arizona was trying to say.

Arizona took in a deep breath. She took a deep breath and closed hey eyes, "I think we need to stop seeing each other." She spilled the words out, before she wasn't able to say them.

Arizona opened her eyes.

Callie's eyes, those expressive eyes Arizona had been falling for, instantly welled over, tears falling on to her cheeks. She didn't even notice them. "Arizona..." She whispered it, her voice cracking over the word regardless.

Arizona stood looking at her, almost unable to believe she'd been able to do it.

"Callie-you, you are so amazing. But I just-with the kids, I'm so confused..."

Callie shook her head, "No. No. Don't do that, Arizona. Don't tell me I'm amazing after ending this."

"The kids."

Callie shut her mouth. Arizona noticed her lower lip was quivering, and it almost broke her heart. It seemed Callie had no idea how to argue about the kids, when they had just been taken off Arizona. They were both at a loss, neither knowing how to fix it.

Arizona's phone buzzed on the wood of her desk, and they both glanced to it, Callie unable to see the message Arizona glanced at.

Teddy.

_Red or white? Hell, I'll bring both. See you at six._

Arizona felt nauseated.

Arizona looked back to Callie.

"Do you mean this, Arizona?"

Arizona, despite herself, nodded, "I do." She swallowed, "I have to get them back. I have to focus, on that."

Callie nodded, hand coming up to roughly swipe at her cheeks.

"Then you need to walk out of here, because I can't walk away from you."

Arizona blinked, the power in those words, the blatant fact of Callie's feelings, almost too much. Her own urge to step forward and kiss Callie, to take it back, and the events that had led to her to do this, fought with each other.

She leaned and grabbed her phone, sliding it in to her pocket. She pulled her bag on to her shoulder, and walked forward. When she was next to Callie, shoulders touching, both facing opposite ways, Arizona paused. Callie's scent wash over her. She turned her head to look at Callie, in profile.

"Callie." Her voice was a whisper. Callie turned her face, and Arizona almost didn't leave as she took in the utterly broken look on her face, "I am so, so sorry." Her voice cracked.

Callie, tears on her cheeks, nodded, once.

Arizona finally broke eye contact, finger stroking the back of Callie's hand in a barely perceptible feeling before she stepped forward, pulling open the door and walking out. She let a slow breath out from between her lips as she let the door shut behind her, walking away from the sob she heard come from behind the door.

Her fingers shook and she gave up on trying to do up her buttons on her jacket.

It wasn't until she reached her car that the sob in her throat burst out. In the empty car park, hand on her door handle, she squatted slowly to her knees, forehead falling against the cool metal.

#####


	20. Chapter 20

**Title: **Changes  
**Author: **gabs88  
**Pairing: **Callie/Arizona  
**Summary: **When Arizona's brother dies in a car crash with his wife, she is named guardian of his two children. What does this mean for the life of someone who never wanted her own kids, let alone anyone elses?  
**Rating: **M. I feel like there needs to be a higher warning for the drama content. Is that weird?  
**Disclaimer: **All characters belong to ABC/Shonda Rhimes.  
**Note:** I know, I know. I'm sorry! Does it make anyone feel better to know that after that last chapter I needed a drink when I finished it? Not even kidding.

Thank you everyone, for your insights, reviews and opinions. And thanks for reading, and sticking with this one :). Everyone's thoughts have been so interesting to read.

**Changes  
Chapter Twenty**

Teddy leant back on the couch, lifting her feet up on to the coffee table. She brought her glass of wine to her lips and sipped, eyeing Arizona over the rim.

"Okay. So. Recap, Arizona. The Lawyers went as well as it could, you still don't know for sure, but he's optimistic." At Arizona's nod, Teddy continued, "The kids are okay, we had that confirmed today. You will find out tomorrow if you can see them, but for now, they're okay." Arizona nodded again, staring at the wine bottle, empty, next to Teddy's feet, "Jayde was pleasant on the phone, but nothing happened to stress you out." Another nod, "And we've finished a bottle of wine and you have just finished telling me this."

Arizona nodded again and had a sip of her wine.

Teddy frustratedly blew her bangs out of her eyes, "Right. So what the fuck?"

Arizona blinked, "What?"

"Exactly, what? Things are shit, they're really, really shit and they took the kids. I'm not disputing that at all. But why do you look ten times more messed up than this morning? Not that that's not okay, you can lose your shit. But I thought the stunt with the book last night was you doing that."

Arizona nodded, "It was."

"Okay. So why? Why the red eyes when you opened the door? Why did I have to prod you to talk? Why are you clutching your wine glass like a lifeline? And why do you smell like cigarettes?" Teddy sat back up, "And _where_ is Callie? All she did all morning was ask me if I thought it was a good idea if she messaged you, and if I thought you were okay, and did I think she could fake the Ebola virus to get out of work?"

Arizona blinked rapidly.

Teddy's cocked her head, suddenly looking nervous, "What happened?"

Swallowing, Arizona finally said it, "I-I, uh, broke up with Callie."

Teddy's mouth fell open slightly and she stared at Arizona, who kept her eyes on the wine bottle.

She closed her mouth, then opened it again. Finally she spoke, "You what?"

Arizona didn't want to say it again. Tears were pricking her eyes and after losing it in the car park she didn't want to do that again. She just flicked her eyes to Teddy's, Teddy taking in the site of them welled up and redder than before, gave a nod, and Arizona looked back to the wine bottle.

Teddy stared at her some more.

"Okay." She dragged the word out, not sure where to go with that information. "Okay." Teddy approached the next question verbally like you would physically approach a wild bear, "Do you mind me asking why?"

The wine glass trembled in Arizona's hand.

Teddy watched her, and wondered how someone could lose her brother and her sister in law in one go, gain two children she didn't want, have her girlfriend of three years break up with her, move state, then have those two children she was now happy with ripped off her and end the only really positive thing occurring in her life and still be standing.

Arizona really had been through hell the last few months.

Arizona was a fighter, sure, but this woman had been fighting for a long time.

Teddy nodded slowly to herself and waited for Arizona to speak. Slowly, Teddy sat up, drained the last of her wine and put the glass on the coffee table, legs swinging back down. She leant forward slightly and rest a hand on top of Arizona's forearm.

Letting out a slow, shaky breath, Arizona slowly looked back to Teddy, "I have to get those kids back."

Teddy nodded, keeping eye contact with Arizona. The woman looked broken.

"I do, Teddy. I have to." Her voice was hoarse, "And Callie is just, _fuck,_" A tear fell down Arizona's cheek and she angrily wiped it away, "Callie is just, amazing. She is patient and kind and loves the kids, and I think she loves me and I had to end it."

Teddy strengthened her grip on Arizona's arm.

"Why? Why did you have to end it?"

"Did you not hear the explanation of why Cathy filed the charges? If I hadn't been in a relationship, if I was more focused on the kids, this may not have happened."

Teddy resisted the urge to roll her eyes and instead grabbed the second bottle of wine, opened it and poured them both another glass each.

"Arizona, you are so focused on those kids. You're allowed to date, too. All parents are allowed to date."

"I know that! It's just, it was too soon, after everything. I'm all for parents dating. I work in paeds, I in no way believe parents lives should end just because they have kids."

Teddy nodded, "Okay, good."

Arizona took a hasty sip, "But it was clearly too soon. Everything has still been so raw. And if, _if, _I get them back at the temporary hearing-"

"You will."

"_If _I do. What's to secure me getting them at the final hearing? Cathy has petitioned the court for custody, as well. With this on my record, it may fuck it all up. If I'm having some frivolous relationship, appearing like I'm putting my own needs over the kids, why wouldn't they give them to stable, married, wants them Cathy?"

Arizona's cheeks were flushed as she looked at Teddy, eyes practically begging for an answer.

"I can see where you're coming from," Teddy spoke slowly, taking a sip of her wine, a large one, as she thought about the next part, "But, it's not a frivolous relationship, is it?"

"No."

"What's wrong with two kids seeing their caregiver in a solid, meaningful relationship?"

"Teddy, you're missing the point. It's too soon, it's messed the guardianship up." Arizona, somehow, had managed to already drain the last of the new glass of wine. "My brother, he wanted those kids with _me_. And now they're in foster care." Arizona looked imploringly at Teddy, "They're in _foster_ care and I just, God, I miss them."

Teddy put her glass down and pulled Arizona against her, Arizona letting Teddy wrap her arms around her shoulders and resting her head on her shoulder.

"I know you do, sweetie."

"And I miss Callie."

Teddy sighed, "This is _so_ fucked up."

Arizona gave a snort of unamused laughter, "It really is."

"So, I kind of wish Cathy would burst through the door and see this. Then you'll really be labeled a giant ho."

Arizona gave a genuine laugh, the sound bubbling out of her, "She's probably parked in the bushes with a zoom lens. Come the hearing she'll put in photo's as evidence."

Arizona sat up, wiping her eyes and grabbed her glass again, topping it up and doing the same to Teddy's.

Teddy nodded, "She will. Because you know, you lesbians, you're all sleeping with everyone."

Arizona managed a watery smile, "Oh, yeah. The cafeteria lady, the chick in the grocery store, everyone." Arizona clutched her glass, "Even _you_ apparently."

Teddy raised her eyebrows, "Oh, you would be so lucky." She wriggled them up and down lecherously and Arizona couldn't help herself but to laugh. Teddy joined in, relieved to feel the tension ease.

Arizona's smile slowly fell from her lips, "This is not fair, Teddy."

Teddy sighed and sipped her wine, both of them looking around the living room, filled with Ella's DVD's, Toby's blocks, their toys scattered. A room both of them, Callie and the kids had all half lived in the last few months.

"It's really not."

####

Teddy had disappeared early Monday morning to go to work. Arizona, waking up at eight with a sore head and a heavy heart, called Hunt to explain what had happened with the kids.

He was outraged, and sounded more shocked than she had expected him to.

Hunt told her to take the day if she needed, to let him know when the trial would be, when she'd need to see the lawyer, and he'd have her covered. He told her that he'd testify until he was blue in the face that Arizona had only taken the job on the condition that she be able to be home in the evenings and weekends with the kids where able, especially the first year when they were all still adjusting. He said he had her OR stats and that he'd compare her time spent in the OR with your typical surgeon.

Slightly impressed with his caring, she'd said she was calling child protective services that morning, and if she was able to see the kids would take the day, but if she couldn't would be coming after for the distraction.

"I can't just sit here, Hunt."

She let him know that Scott Matthews would be in touch about a character reference and she was incredibly grateful he had her back.

Arizona hung up and felt a heaviness settle over her.

She wanted to call Callie. She wanted Callie to wrap those ortho arms of her around her and reassure her.

She just wanted to talk to her.

Arizona stood up out of bed and grabbed her phone, pulling a hoodie on. She couldn't talk to Callie, because she had broken up with her. The silent house was enough to remind her of why.

But God, she needed more of a reminder, because right now, she wanted Callie.

Arizona missed the kids with an ache that almost surprised her. Slowly, they had attached themselves to her until, without her realising it, she didn't feel whole without them. The house was too still, too quiet. Arizona wanted to feel Toby's chubby little toddler arms wrap around her neck as she lifted him out of his crib. She wanted to hear Ella recount her day, telling her details that were so big and important when you were seven and a half. Arizona wanted to yell for Ella to not run down the stairs, or to have to deal with one of Toby's tantrums.

She just wanted the kids back in the house.

She'd fought so hard with the idea of having them in her life, and now she was up for the biggest fight of her life to get them back in.

Arizona just needed to remind herself of that when her stomach felt hollow at the knowledge that she'd ended the relationship of her dreams.

Callie's words, _'then you need to walk out of here, because I can't walk away from you'_ just needed to stop playing around and around in her head.

Walking in to the kitchen, Arizona started the coffee machine and quickly downed a glass of water with some aspirin. She winced at the smell of nicotine on her fingers. She was really not doing a good job of appearing like a healthy, well together person who deserved to raise her brothers children.

Leaning against the kitchen bench while the smell of coffee started to waft around her, Arizona scrolled through her contacts until she found Lorna's office number, given to her on the womans first visit, and hit dial.

It rang to a voice mail service informing her that the office opened at nine.

Arizona slammed her phone on to the bench and glared at it.

She was going to go insane without answers soon. If she could just see them, reassure Ella, cuddle Toby, she'd be calmer. She'd be able to focus on the trial. Arizona considered calling Scott to find out if he had a date for the trial yet, then remembered it was early and he also wouldn't be in. Plus, he'd said he'd be in contact Monday evening with the information. She couldn't just keep calling everyone every ten minutes.

Arizona poured a coffee, grabbed her phone and went and sat outside on the back porch step. She purposefully left her cigarettes inside.

She felt hopeless. She literally could do nothing to speed this process up.

Grabbing her phone, she dialed Lorna again, just in case she was in. It went to voice mail and Arizona left a short message to say she'd appreciate it if Lorna could get back to her as soon as possible.

Hanging up, Arizona shivered in the chilly morning air, her coffee steaming next to her.

It really was too quiet.

God, what if she didn't get them back?

Her phone rang and Arizona almost dropped it in her haste to answer it.

"Hello?"

_"Hi, sweetie."_

"Oh. Mom, hey."

_"Expecting Lorna?"_

"I just tried calling, they don't open until nine."

_"Oh." _Barbara sounded as disappointed as Arizona felt, _"I was calling for an update. I know we only spoke yesterday evening, but, well..."_

"I get it. I'll let you know as soon as I know anything."

They chatted briefly, Arizona avoiding any questions about Callie, not wanting to tell her mother just yet. They'd spoken when Arizona had gotten home, and she assumed her mother had passed off the tone in her voice as stress about the kids and talking about the lawyers visit.

Hanging up with Barbara, Arizona took long sips of her coffee.

At ten to nine she called Lorna again, leaving another voicemail. Arizona almost hoped they'd annoy the woman. Let them question Arizona's commitment to the kids.

At five to nine she called again, leaving another brief message.

At nine, she called and this time hung up.

At five past nine her phone rang and this time she actually did drop her coffee mug in the rush to answer it.

"Hello?"

_"Arizona. Hi, it's Lorna."_

"Hi, I've been trying to reach you."

The woman's voice was almost amused, _"I know, I got your messages."_

"Sorry."

_"Don't be, it's okay. First things first, i spoke to the foster care family with Toby and Ella on the way to work this morning, and they're doing fine."_

Arizona felt the breath knocked out of her. The relief she felt each time someone told her that, even if she didn't get to see them herself, was palpable.

"Good." Her voice cracked, "Ella can go quiet. And not eat, sometimes. And Toby, he just gets a little clingy-" She broke off.

Lorna's voice softened, _"They're being well looked after, Arizona. I am sorry about this."_

Arizona nodded even though Lorna couldn't see her, "Can I see them?"

There was silence for a minute and Arizona felt her stomach drop.

_"I'm sorry, Arizona. You won't be able to see them today. There's a lot of protocol in setting this up. And, uh, I may not be able to get you in to see them at all."_

"What?!"

_"I know. I'm going to try. But if I can't get you, I will definitely be able to get your mother in. Just, unfortunately, the soonest I can get a visit would be Wednesday."_

Arizona felt her mouth go dry, "Lorna-they'll be so confused and unsettled. Would-can't I see them? Speak to them?"

_"I'm sorry, I wont have answers for that until Wednesday."_

Arizona wanted to swear, "Can you at least pass them a message from me?"

Lorna hesitated, _"Okay."_

"Tell-tell them I miss them, and I can't wait to see them again. Tell Ella that of course-of course I want her." Arizona was choking up.

_"I'll tell them."_

"Thank you."

_"We wont be doing nothing these next few days, Arizona. I'll be talking to your colleagues, your family-all to testify when the dates set. Okay?"_

"Yeah. Okay."

_"Take care of yourself, okay?"_

"I will."

Arizona hung up and stared dumbly at her phone. That had not been what she wanted to hear.

She called her mother and filled her in, holding the phone away from her ear as Barbara protested loudly about not being able to see them until at least Wednesday, and to Arizona possibly not being able to see them at all. She ranted for a good ten minutes before Arizona got off the phone.

Sitting on the step a minute longer, she dropped her head heavily in to her hands.

How was she meant to just go on about her life like normal while Ella and Toby were in foster care?

One thing was for sure, she was not going to be able to sit around all day.

She called Hunt and filled him in, saying she'd be in to work in an hour and that she needed a good surgery.

Showering and getting dressed, Arizona grabbed her keys and bag and fled the house that was haunting her now with not only her dead brother and sister in law, but the very lack of the kids presence.

Arizona pulled in to work, and tried to remember to breathe.

Jesus, what if she saw Callie?

Taking in a slow breath and letting it out, Arizona got out of her car and headed for the entrance.

It turns out, that when you're trying to avoid someone, and they're apparently trying to avoid you, it's easy to not run in to them

Arizona threw herself in to work that day. She took surgeries from Karev, who, at the look on her face, had the sense to not say a word even has he puffed up with the indignance of it all.

She saw Lorna in Hunts office, saw her talking to Yang and Grey, to Sloan and even to Karev.

She saw her walk down the hallway to the daycare and Arizona felt a clench in her stomach that she couldn't go and see Toby. To walk in and watch him drop whatever he was doing and run at her, delighted she had entered his little world, even when it was just for five minutes. The last time, she'd left with paint smeared all over her scrubs, bright red, from when he'd wrapped himself around her legs.

So Arizona took out an appendix, she put a childs insides back where they belonged, she handed her ortho cases off and got Teddy to scrub in with her to fix a hole in an infants heart.

Teddy, while cutting, looked up at her.

"I saw Callie."

Arizona didn't even glance up, "_Don't, _Teddy. Just, not now."

Teddy had a lot to say, Arizona could see it hovering over her as they scrubbed out.

She finally started to speak, "Arizona, don't you think that-"

"I've got to get to a surgery, Teddy."

And she slipped out, leaving Teddy looking torn between pity and frustration.

Scott got hold of her in the afternoon and told her the trial would be set for Friday. She told him what Lorna had said, that they wouldn't be able to see the kids until Wednesday, and Arizona maybe not at all.

He had sighed and said the system had flaws, but all their policies were there for a reason. He reminded her that by playing a long, they built a better case in her favour.

She told him that seemed ridiculous, that her wanting to see them should be a good thing.

Scott told her to keep phoning them for answers and check ups on the kids, but to follow their rules.

She hung up even more frustrated.

Arizona worked until past midnight that night. She only ate when Teddy brought her a vending machine sandwich, splitting it with her in the scrub room.

Teddy chewed slowly, "You know," She said thoughtfully, "It wasn't that long ago that Callie and Cristina, and then you, were following me in to surgeries and making sure I ate."

Arizona swallowed an unsatisfactory mouthful of bland bread, "I'm okay, Teddy. I just need the distraction."

"I know."

They ate quietly.

"We wont be able to see Ella or Toby until at least Wednesday." Arizona broke the silence, and Teddy sucked in a breath at the words. "And it's looking doubtful I'll get to see them at all." Arizona stared straight ahead, "And the trial's not until Friday."

Teddy put her hand on Arizona's shoulder, nothing she could say to that.

They finished without any more talking, Arizona barely tasting her food.

Teddy turned to her when they were done, ready to say something, words built up since drinking wine at Arizona's the night before, then bit back her words at the tired look on Arizona's face.

Instead, she just said, "Make sure you get some sleep tonight, okay?"

Arizona nodded absentmindedly.

She left the hospital around one am, exhausted and wishing she could sleep there like every other dysfunctional surgeon. But she wanted to be home, in case someone, any one, tried to contact her on the home phone rather than her mobile about the kids. She'd spoken to her mother briefly sometime around four, telling her there was nothing new except the day had been set for Friday.

Arizona woke up groggily on Tuesday morning, way before her alarm, despite the late hour she'd gone to bed.

The heaviness that had been weighing on her for days weighed even heavier. Each morning she woke up and it all felt less like a horrible dream and more like reality, which was harder to cope with.

The kids absence was starting to take its toll.

As was Callie's.

She walked around her brothers house like a ghost, not knowing her place there without Ella and Toby to give her purpose. Getting ready for work quickly, trying not to to look at the bruise on her collarbone left by Callie their last night together, she left the house. She got to work far too early, nurses just starting their morning rounds, a message already left for Lorna for an update on how the kids were, if there was any news on the visit.

Karev was there already, charts piled high. He handed her one straight away with a nod.

"This one came in overnight. It'll be a long one."

She nodded to him over her coffee, "What we got?"

He filled her in on the case and Arizona let work distract her.

Clearly the news of what had happened with the kids had spread. Karev, rather than upset she was taking his surgeries like he had been yesterday, was now helping her find the juiciest cases to sink her teeth in to.

The worked side by side most of the day. She only paused to take Lorna's call, the repetitive 'the kids are okay' line used. Though this time, she added something else.

"Ella-" She sighed, "Ella says she knows, because of the way your face looked when we drove away."

Arizona almost let a sob out over the phone.

Hunt found her as she was going to head for the OR sometime around seven in the evening.

"Robbins, go home."

She looked at him, mouth open, "Hunt-"

"No. Go home. You left after one this morning and were back at five. Go home."

She paused, "Hunt. Please, I need to be here."

His face softened, "I know. But you need to sleep. I can't have surgeons over worked, you know how they are now about sleep hours."

Arizona, defeated, nodded.

He put a hand on her shoulder, "I'm sorry."

Nodding again as he walked away, Arizona stood, surgical mask dangling from her hand.

How was she going to not think at home in the silent house?

She got changed in the locker room, pulling jeans and her boots on slowly, dragging out the time until she would have to leave. She paused at the mirror, running the brush through her hair. Her eyebrows raised in slight surprise at how pale she was, black smudges under her eyes.

Pulling her bag on to her shoulder, she walked to the elevator, pressing down and waiting for it to appear. It arrived with it's usual ding and Arizona smiled politely at the people walking out, eyes flitting up to see Callie standing with her back leaning against the far wall, arms crossed, the delicious leather jacket on. Arizona swallowed her surprise, taking in the woman's appearance in an instance, her own face pale as well, eyes sad. Those same eyes widened slightly as she caught sight of Arizona.

Arizona gave her a small smile, "Hey."

Callie's own, "Hey" was barely discernible.

Arizona turned and faced the doors as they closed, letting a breath out slowly between her lips.

She had known it would be hard, to see Callie. Known that sticking to doing what she thought was right would be made even more difficult when faced with the site of her. Callie, though looking tired and pale, was still as stunning as she always was, and the look in her eye as she saw Arizona made her chest ache. Arizona hadn't realised how over powering the urge to fall in to her would be. To fall against her and have Callie wrap her arms around her and God, to break down and just let everything that was in her out. Callie had become the person Arizona could do that with, something Arizona had never had before.

Callie's smell was everywhere.

She could feel Callie as if she was standing flush against her back, rather than two feet of space between them.

And then she heard it, spoken so quietly, so broken.

"Arizona."

That was all it took.

Arizona turned, pressing herself against Callie, hands coming up to cup her cheeks.

She kissed her, even though she knew she shouldn't, and Callie, even though she knew she shouldn't, kissed her back.

Arizona's thumb brushed her cheek, her fingers ran in the softness of Callie's hair as she pulled back slightly, lips hovering over Callie's before she heard the doors open and she pushed back, walking away then before she couldn't.

####

That evening, Barbara had come over to see Arizona. After speaking to Arizona on the phone on Monday, she had expected Callie to be with her after work that day, so had given Arizona her space. However, come Tuesday evening, Barbara had been sitting at home at six, normally the time Ella would be with her, waiting for Arizona to arrive with Toby. The silence was pressing in her ears and she had needed to see her daughter. She had suspected Arizona wouldn't be coping too well, and if Callie was at work, would be sitting at home all alone and dwelling too much on her thoughts.

Probably beating herself up, as Barbara knew she was prone to do.

And she wouldn't lie, Barbara needed some comfort herself, thoughts of Tim and the kids, of Sally and her constantly absent husband sitting heavily. Holding off as late as she could, she'd let herself in to find Arizona walking in to the kitchen from the back porch, not so subtly slipping a packet of cigarettes in to her pocket and sipping a wine.

Barbara had turned on the light and asked where Callie was.

The answer did not leave Barbara feeling impressed.

"You what!?"

"Mom, calm down."

"I will _not_ calm down! Arizona Robbins, you sit your tiny blonde ass down right now."

Arizona, eyes wide, sat down at the kitchen table and looked up at her, feeling about five years old.

"You _ended _it with Callie?"

"Yes, but-"

"The first person to make you smile after Ti-after everything?"

"Yes, but-"

"The only distraction you had from the major sacrifices you were making?

"Yes, but-"

"The woman the kids _adore?!_"

"Yes, but-"

"The woman who's been patient and put up with all the crap that's come with dating you?"

"Crap?! But-"

"You're letting that crazy old woman win!"

Arizona went to open her mouth and then closed it. That hadn't occurred to her.

Barbara crossed her arms in front of herself and glared at Arizona, one eyebrow raised. Arizona felt like she was looking in to a mirror.

Pondering those words for a minute, Arizona sighed, practically deflating in her chair, "I didn't do this easily, Mom." Arizona gave a mirthless laugh, "Believe me, it was not easy."

Barbara kept her arms crossed, not moving.

"Mom! Stop it! I need to make sure I get those kids back, and this was one way it felt like I could help that happen."

Barbara finally spoke, "That's a load of crap."

"It's not!"

Sighing, Barbara slid in to a chair opposite Arizona, resting a hand on her wrist, "God, honey." Her voice was suddenly soft, understanding, "I can see why you thought this would be a solution. And I have no idea how you brought yourself to end it with Callie." She shook her head, "I really don't. But no judge is going to expect you to keep yourself single. Callie is someone any child would be lucky to have in their lives."

Arizona fell forward, head on her forearm on the table, "Mom, please, you are not helping."

"Good. because you need Callie to help get you through this. And _when_ you get those kids back, they're going to want Callie here, too. God, Ella doesn't shut up about her."

Arizona raised her head, "But, the hearing, if-"

"The judge will already know you're dating someone. Whether or not you've ended it now isn't going to make a hell of a lot of difference."

"It will, it could show I'm focused on Ella and Toby."

"You _are_ already focused on them, Arizona." Barbara sighed. Her daughter was infuriating, "There are going to be so many people testifying to that. Don't you think it's going to look amazing to a judge, that _even_ though you've started a new relationship, every single person will be testifying that you have constantly put the kids first? That you have priotitised them again and again over yourself and your relationship with Callie?"

Arizona had nothing to say to that.

Barbara shook her head.

"Oh, honey. You've always tried to do the right thing, ever since you were a little girl. But sometimes, you've got the unfortunate habit of calling it so very wrong."

#####


	21. Chapter 21

**Title: **Changes  
**Author: **gabs88  
**Pairing: **Callie/Arizona  
**Summary: **When Arizona's brother dies in a car crash with his wife, she is named guardian of his two children. What does this mean for the life of someone who never wanted her own kids, let alone anyone elses?  
**Rating: **M. I feel like there needs to be a higher warning for the drama content. Is that weird?  
**Disclaimer: **All characters belong to ABC/Shonda Rhimes.  
**Note:** So many mixed opinions, all great to read. Thanks everyone, as always :) I'm trying hard to not drag these updates out too long and I appreciate everyones patience-I am still off adventuring and will be for awhile. To those that get annoyed at the length of wait, I'm sorry, but I do my best ;) !

**Changes  
Chapter Twenty One**

Teddy found Arizona in the bathroom, cornering her and handing her a coffee with a look so fierce Arizona was almost too scared to accept it. She slowly reached out her hand and took the cup, and they stood appraising each other for a minute.

Arizona raised her eyebrows, "Is this really the place for a coffee?"

Teddy didn't smile, "Yes. And it's also the place for a heart to heart." Teddy spoke quickly, as if to stop Arizona from interrupting, "Okay. I need to say something."

"Teddy-"

"No. I do. Because you're being an idiot."

Arizona went to open her mouth, an indignant, "Hey!" All she managed to get out before Teddy raised a hand, effectively cutting her off.

"You are. I know I don't know the legal system, but you can't end such a good thing because of this."

"I had to."

Teddy didn't change her stern look, "Yeah, but you didn't."

"Teddy, I-"

"No. Callie is too damn respectful for her own good and won't say any of this, so I will."

"Teddy-"

"I said shush! Well, I didn't. But I meant that. You didn't need to end this. I was good, the past two days, I let it be because, well, no offense Arizona but you looked like shit," Arizona went to open her mouth to say another indignant noise but Teddy ploughed on, "But now, I've stewed on this all night and I need to say it." Teddy raised her arms, resting her hands on Arizona's shoulders and staring her straight in the eye, Arizona looking bemused, "You are an idiot. You've got something special with Callie. Cathy is the evil one here, and no court will not give you the kids because you have a girlfriend. Everyone will testify that you are one hundred percent focussed on those kids, even to the detriment of your relationship."

They stared at each other a minute and Arizona finally gave a nod. Teddy dropped her hands and buried them in her lab coat pockets.

Arizona pursed her lips, "Mom pointed this out to me last night, too."

"I've always liked that woman. I'm sure she was nicer about it than I was."

Arizona shook her head, "Actually, no, she was meaner. She may have, um, pointed out that I call things wrong."

Teddy gave a shrug, "Good. Our words getting through?"

Arizona gave her own shrug.

"You know, Arizona, if it's any help at all everyone can see how you would call it wrong here. You were thinking of the kids."

"I _have_ to think of them."

"I know."

"What if Callie won't forgive me?"

Teddy rolled her eyes, "She will."

"She might not."

"Shut up, Arizona."

They blinked at each other.

"Do we need to hug?"

Arizona shook her head.

"Good."

Teddy rocked on her heels for a moment, the silence suddenly almost awkward.

"So. Good." She gave a nod, "I'll be off then. You, uh, you think about what I just said."

Arizona nodded again and Teddy left the bathroom, leaving Arizona leaning against the sink, the silence pressing in and her mother and Teddy's words echoing in her ears.

Everything was so very messed up, and she just wanted the kids with her and Callie back in her life. She wanted her biggest problem to be Callie staying over the night and how to prepare Ella (and, if Arizona was being honest with herself, how to prepare Callie for what was in store with two children under the roof). Arizona actually missed _that_ hesitancy, _that_ worry. She wanted to be worrying about what to cook for dinner for the kids and to be thinking about work and to miss her brother and sister in law. She wanted to be allowed to grieve, because it felt sometimes that she'd not had time to.

Everything had already been a mess and now it was just a catastrophe.

And now her mother _and_ Teddy were saying words to her that left her speechless.

What if they were right?

Gnawing her lip, Arizona checked the time. It was nine am Wednesday and she had to be at the lawyers at ten, she'd cleared it with Hunt already.

God, she just wanted to know how the kids were doing. How were they coping?

It was difficult, she went from focused on what had happened with Callie to what was happening with the kids, the kids and the stress of maybe never getting them back over riding everything.

She'd considered going to Ella's school, just to see if she was there and if she was, to catch a glimpse of her heading in. To see if she looked well, if she was smiling, talking. Two things had stopped her. The first being that Arizona wasn't sure if she would be able to just sit there and only see her. To not get out of the car and either wrap her arms around the little girl and tell her she was fighting for them, to reassure her and let her know Arizona had no intentions of ever giving up on them, ever. The second was the lawyers warning to not go against child services rules, that it could-would-mess everything up.

Play by the book and maybe, just maybe, Arizona would come out of this on top.

Snapping out of her thoughts, Arizona re-checked the time, it finally occurring to what she'd seen. It was nine, Teddy's words having distracted her from that fact. She could call Lorna as she walked out the hospital to her car and find out if the paper work was completed for her, or at least Barbara, to see the kids.

A knot twisted in her stomach and Arizona felt nauseated. God, what if they didn't let her see them?

Pulling out her phone as she walked out of the bathroom to head to the exit, she hit dial for Lorna's number. It started ringing, over and over again, Arizona stubbornly staying on the line.

Walking down the final hallway towards the exit, she slowed down as she saw Callie turning around the corner up ahead. Callie looked up from the chart in her hand, eyes widening when she saw Arizona and stopping dead in the middle of the hallway. Arizona kept walking forward, eyes glued on Callie's, heart racing and phone ringing repetitively in her ear. Arizona started to slow down in front of her, opened her mouth to say something, anything, when Lorna finally answered on the other end.

_"This is Lorna, how can I help?"_

Arizona swallowed heavily, Callie and her staring at each other a moment as Arizona's legs continued to carry her slowly towards her.

_"Hello?"_

"Uh-Lorna. Hi, it's Arizona Robbins."

And Arizona, left without a choice, kept walking forward, eyes on Callie as she walked past her, not able to hang up from Lorna and needing to get to the lawyers office, yet everything in her pulling her to Callie.

Callie's large, expressive eyes didn't leave her, turning on the spot to follow Arizona down the hall, and Arizona, unable to break the connection, unable to look away from the sadness in Callie's eyes, turned and walked backwards, keeping her eyes on her.

_"Arizona, hi, I thought you'd call early._"

Arizona swallowed heavily, "Yeah, sorry, I just-I need to know, can I see them? Tell me I can."

She saw Callie's eyes widen even more at the words, and finally Arizona rounded the corner, forcing the connection between them to break. Arizona spun and walked the right way, eyes closing a moment as she took in a breath. She still felt nauseated, seeing Callie, the fear of what she was going to hear from Lorna, building up to cause a lump in her throat and make her stomach churn. Plus, she still had to get through the meeting with Scott; and then there was a missed call on her phone from Jayde last night that she had effectively ignored after the heavy conversation with her mother.

There was silence for a moment on the phone.

"Lorna?"

She heard the woman sigh, _"I am really, genuinely, sorry, but I couldn't get you cleared to see the kids before the trial."_

Arizona refused to let it hit her, refused to stop in her tracks. Instead, she sped up, walking faster out the doors and towards her car.

"There's really no way?"

_"I'm sorry, no. If things don't go your way at the trial and you don't get them back in to temporary custody, we'll be able to sort something out then."_

Arizona forced her key in to the car and opened the door, slamming the it shut, leaning forward and resting her forehead on the steering wheel, eyes closed.

"That's if the reason I don't get them isn't that they find me guilty and I'm in court for neglect of my niece and nephew." Lorna's silence answered that one. "Can my mother see them, at least?"

_"Yes. That's the silver lining, I got it cleared for her to go. She can see them this afternoon at four, I'll call her with the details."_

Arizona let out a heavy breath, nodding, "Okay. That's good."

_"It is good." _Lorna paused, _"I really am sorry. I just want you to know that I did everything I could."_

Arizona felt her eyes welling up under her closed lids, "I really appreciate that, Lorna. I'm sorry, I've got to get to the lawyers."

_"I'll call your mother and arrange things with her. Take care of yourself, Arizona. I'll see you Friday."_

Arizona nodded again, even though Lorna couldn't see her, the steering wheel digging in to her forehead, "I'll see you then."

The thought of the trial filled her with dread.

If she didn't get the kids back in to her custody then, who knew when she would see them?

She sat up straight, refusing to let the tears that had formed fall.

So many things were whirling around her head. She started the car and pulled out of the lot, heading for Scotts office.

Her mind was a mess. With the kids, the trial, not getting to see them, Cathy, her accusations. If she got them back, she'd still have the custody trial. If she didn't, she'd still have the custody trial with much more diminished chances of getting the kids permanently. Or she'd be in jail. If she didn't get them, who knew how long until the system cleared her to see them.

It had been four days and already Arizona was going out of her mind without Toby and Ella.

And then, of course, was Callie. What if her mother, and Teddy, were right? That she'd panicked and called it wrong.

Thinking that was like a torture. Could Arizona really have Callie back?

Could she really have Callie and maybe, come Friday, the kids?

It almost seemed too much.

That's if Callie would even take her back.

Callie, in bed in the deep of the night, naked against her skin, had told her that she had always been left. People had always abandoned her. The one person who hadn't had been Jaime, and that relationship had failed, too.

Would Callie understand that it hadn't been Arizona abandoning Callie, but her refusing to abandon the kids?

That she hadn't wanted to do it, but had felt forced?

That Arizona had been filled with fear and panic and done the only thing that felt like action?

She pulled up to Scott's office and thought she was going to be ill with all the stress sitting heavily in her stomach.

Climbing out of the car, she walked up and entered the building, walking up to the reception desk. For some reason, Arizona had expected a young, sleek woman to be Scott Matthews secretary. Instead, a woman in her sixties who looked like she could be your grandmother greeted her with a giant smile.

"Hello, dear, can I help you?'

Arizona felt like crawling on to her lap and being hugged. She blinked and tried to snap herself out of it, "Uh, yes. I'm Arizona Robbins, I have an appointment?"

The kindly woman nodded, "Yes, he's expecting you, take a seat and Mr Matthews won't be a minute."

Arizona sat in one of the squishy chairs that made the waiting room look more like a study than anything. The receptionist peered over her desk at her, a smile on her face, "Can I get you anything, love? Some water? A nice cup of tea?

Arizona smiled at her, "No, thank you anyway."

"Sing out if you change your mind. Cup of tea can do wonders." She winked at her.

Arizona smiled again and the woman went back to her computer, typing far faster than Arizona would have expected her to. Arizona's own mother still sent her dodgy text messages that had been wrongly autocorrected and asked her regularly why her Facebook kept lighting up with red things on the top left hand corner.

Arizona looked down at her phone and saw wit surprise she had two missed calls. She needed to take her phone off silently, clearly. One was from her mother and the other was from Jayde.

Pressing the button for her voicemail, Arizona raised her phone up to listen to it.

The first was her mother.

_"Arizona honey. I just had Lorna call me-I can't help but feel she's on our side. That Cathy woman is going down. That's what you say isn't it? It's not that she's going off? Though she is off, off her damn rocker. Anyway, she said she's spoken to you. I'm seeing them at four."_ Arizona could hear the relief in her Mothers voice, Arizona had known she'd been terrified neither would get to see them. Barbara had been going out of her mind with worry at the idea that her two grandchildren were in foster care. "C_all me to give me any messages you want for them. I-I'm so sorry that you couldn't come, sweetie. But we'll get this mess sorted on Friday. Call me back, that's an order._" It sounded like her mother was about to hang up and Arizona went to press the button for the next message when suddenly her mother's voice came back on, much more fierce and making her jump, _"Are you back with Callie yet? You better be, young lady."_

And this time, she did hang up.

Arizona rolled her eyes and pressed for the next message, her whole body tensing as Jaydes voice came over the speaker.

_"Hey, it's me. Just checking in, to see if you've had any news. Hope Scott's looking after you, he really is a genius in the court room. Um-call me, if you need anything. I was thinking, if you needed some support, I could come down for a night or two. I know what you're like when you're stressed. Let me know, anyway-even if it's just for a night. Take care."_

Arizona hung up her phone and glared at it.

_"I know what you're like when you're stressed."_

The tone in Jayde's voice hadn't left a lot to the imagination about what Jayde knew Arizona was like and what she had been offering.

Arizona leant back in her chair.

Her head hurt. There was just too much going on, at that moment.

She almost gave a derisive snort as she got more and more irritated.

Jayde broke up with her because of the kids and now the kids are out of the picture for a night or two she's offering to pop in for a quickie.

She was feeling irrationally angry about the whole thing.

With everything going on, Jayde thought she would want _that_ from her.

Jayde really didn't know Arizona any more.

Arizona and Jayde had come out of this break up quite well, but right now Arizona was cranky and Jayde had just given her a good reason to direct that at her.

"Arizona?" Arizona's head snapped up to see Scott Matthews standing there, "Good morning. Did you want to come through?"

The meeting with Scott didn't leave Arizona feeling much better. He went over the witnesses he had gathered to speak at the trial, as well as those he had gotten written testimonies from. Speaking on the day would be Barbara, Daniel (Arizona's eyebrows had risen at that-what would he have to say, he lived in his whiskey bottle?), Hunt, Tanya from the daycare and Callie.

Arizona looked confused at the last one, "I thought you said Callie wouldn't be questioned, due to the allegations?"

Scott nodded, "At first I thought that would be best, but she would most likely be called by the other side, anyway, so I thought it would be a good idea."

Arizona nodded, "What about Teddy?"

"She will be called as well, to testify there is no relationship between the two of you beyond friendship." He looked uncomfortable for a moment, "And I have to ask again, I'm sorry, there definitely isn't, is there?"

Arizona gave a small laugh, "No, there's not. Teddy is just a friend."

He nodded, "Okay. Sorry, again."

Scott let her know how the trial would run. It would be in more of an office setting, he said. The case was working as almost a 'state vs Arizona' situation, as it wasn't Cathy personally prosecuting her, but the states Child Services following up the complaints. Nevertheless, Cathy would be there. Arizona clenched her jaw at this.

There would only be a judge, there would be no jury and no media or people able to sit in. Witnesses would sit out in the hall until called.

Arizona breathed easier at this. It sounded a lot less scary than the TV court room drama she had been imagining.

"Will Ella be called?"

It was something that had been nagging at her, something she didn't want her to go through.

Scott shook his head, "No. We try and avoid putting kids out there like that. The school counsellor will speak, and hopefully the testimonies will be enough. Under certain circumstances, the judge will ask to have the child be called, but hopefully not in this case."

He said he'd have her in again tomorrow to go over the questions he'd asked and then all of a sudden, Arizona was back out side at eleven, blinking in the day light. She called Barbara, keeping the conversation brief.

She went back to work, to finish up her work day.

Arizona didn't see Callie again, and Teddy was called in to assist on multiple emergencies, meaning Arizona couldn't rant at her. On the plus side, it meant Teddy couldn't give Arizona the stink eye every time she walked passed.

Because, damn, could Teddy give a good stink eye.

Her mother called her just after five and Arizona answered, listening to her update her on Ella and Toby.

"They're-they're okay, Arizona."

Arizona sucked in a breath, "Why the hesitation, Mom?"

Barbara had sighed, "Ella is quiet, Toby was ecstatic to see me, but then very clingy. He cried when they took him back. Ella clung to my pants leg so tight, I thought they wouldn't be able to take her away."

Leaning against the wall, Arizona closed her eyes and dropped her head back against it, "But they're safe? Did you meet the foster parents?"

"They're safe, and well, and they're looked after. There's some policy, I didn't meet them. Ella said they were 'okay' though. I told them what you told me to, that you're doing everything you can to have them back with you."

"Did Ella believe you?"

"Of course." Barbara's voice was high.

"Mom?"

"She believed it."

"Mom."

Barbara sighed, "She-she asked why you didn't have your own kids, before this. If you'd ever wanted them. I think she's been thinking too much."

Arizona felt ill, "What did you say?!"

"I'm not new to childhood questions. I told her you didn't have kids yet because you didn't know you wanted any, until you had them."

Arizona let a breath out, "Did she believe that, at least? Mom-" Arizona's voice cracked, "I need Ella to know how much I want them back."

"She believed that, honey."

"What else did you do?"

Arizona drank in every word Barbara offered about the kids. Toby had been incredibly cuddly, even Ella had spent the entire time leaning against Barbara's side. They'd read books and Barbara had made sure to cuddle them non stop and to ask, without scaring Ella, as much as she could about how she was been looked after.

Arizona drank every word in and closed her eyes and tried to picture the kids. When she got off the phone with her mother she felt hollow.

At least they were okay.

It was a day even work wasn't able to distract her from her life. Her head was spinning and it wasn't helped by the fact that as she was leaving for the day, come eight o'clock, she went, for a split second, to turn down the hallway to the daycare out of habit. Never mind the late hour, and never mind that the kids weren't with her.

It had been four days since she had seen them and it would seem her subconscious was not happy with that fact.

Arizona hooked her bag back on to her shoulder and headed home, the car ride a blur as she turned up the music to try drown out the silence. Her eyes kept flickering to Toby's car seat, empty in the back.

Arizona suddenly took a u turn, turning the car back to the hospital.

She couldn't do it. She couldn't go home and sit in an empty house, to eventually cave and have a cigarette, the silence pressing in her ears as she passed the time waiting until she was tired enough to try to sleep. She felt coiled, like a spring, tension filling her body. Arizona didn't know what to do about anything, and the painful truth was there wasn't anything she could possibly do to help her situation. She was completely hopeless, dependant on a system that had been the one to step in and cause the problem in the first place.

Arizona gritted her teeth, fingers gripping the steering wheel hard enough to turn her knuckles white.

Well, Cathy was the one to start it all.

And, Arizona could do nothing but sit back and wait.

That was not her strong point.

So instead, she'd go back to work. There had to be a child she could save somewhere, and if there wasn't, she'd stalk the pit with Karev until something came up.

There was one thing she wanted to do, but she had no idea if t would help or hinder the situation with the kids.

She wanted Callie back so badly it hurt.

Arizona was so conflicted, the instinct that had caused her to panic and end it still flaring strong, her Mother's and Teddy's words arguing with it.

Seeing her in the hallway, she wondered what she would have done if she hadn't been on the phone, hadn't been rushing to get to Scotts.

The fantasy played out in her head, pushing Callie against the wall, capturing her lips in a kiss, pulling back to tell her she was sorry. To mimic Teddy's words, and her mothers, and tell Callie she was an idiot, that she was sorry. To ask her to take her back.

As she drove, various reactions played out in her head. Callie would kiss her back, or stand there stunned. In the worse, Callie looked at her with scorn and walked away, Arizona standing uselessly as she did so.

She needed to work out what to say to Callie.

Pulling in to the parking lot, Arizona walked in to the entrance, itching to enter an OR and do something constructive, to put her brain to use and to not have time to think about Ella and Toby, or Callie. She was walking down towards the elevator, eyes on the ground, lost in thought, when she looked up and, a few metres in front of her, saw Callie, back to her, about to walk in to the same one.

The next few seconds happened far too quickly and left Arizona wondering if Teddy had been waiting for the opportunity all day.

Callie started to enter the elevator, Arizona almost stopping dead at the site of her and the clenching in her stomach. Cristina, biting in to an apple, was walking just behind Callie and about to enter after her. Teddy suddenly stepped in to her vision, Callie's back still to them all as she walked in, grabbed Yang by the back of the shirt, pulling her backwards, the apple in her mouth muffling her, "Hey!". With her other hand, Teddy reached forward, wrapped her fingers around Arizona's wrist and yanked her forward, letting go of her as Arizona's momentum carried her towards the door, and gave the small of her back a shove, hissing "Fix this!" as she passed.

Arizona was suddenly standing in the elevator, wide eyed, as Callie turned and looked at her in surprise. Callie leaned to the side to see Teddy standing with her hand still gripping a pissed off looking Cristina's scrub top. The doors started to close as Callie looked back to Arizona, Teddy grinning and giving them a wave.

Arizona swallowed, the proximity of Callie making her feel weak.

They started at each other.

"Hey." Arizona finally said, lamely.

Callie's eyebrows rose, "Hey."

Arizona licked her lips, suddenly dry, opening her mouth to say something, then closing it again.

Callie gave her a small smile, the action not reaching her eyes, "It's okay, Arizona. Teddy gets excited. You don't have to say anything.

Arizona took in a heavy breath, turning around to hit the emergency stop button.

Callie looked at her, confusion etched on her features.

Arizona tilted her head to look at her, heart hammering in her chest.

"I-I am so, sorry, Callie."

Callie shook her head, "Don't, Arizona, you don't need to be. I understand."

Arizona took a step forward, a foot of space all that was between them now.

"I am. I'm so sorry. I-" Arizona flicked her eyes up to the ceiling before looking back to Callie, "I panicked." She said simply.

Callie nodded, crossing her arms in front of her and taking a small step backwards, "I know. I get it. I would have done the same thing."

Arizona matched Callie's step backwards with one toward her, trying to sort out the words to say.

"I-"

"Actually, no." Callie interrupted her, her face frustrated, tone still soft, "I wouldn't have. It's not what I would have done."

Arizona choked on her words, unsure of what to say, feeling dread settle over her. Callie wouldn't forgive her-maybe she did see it as Arizona abandoning her, rather than Arizona desperately clutching at something that would help her keep the kids, even if it was the wrong thing.

Callie continued, her voice low, hoarse, "_I_ wouldn't have done it. But," She sighed, "I understand why _you_ did, Arizona."

Callie seemed to tighten her arms around herself, as if to protect herself. Arizona cursed herself, and Cathy, for seeing Callie take such a protective stance. What if she'd broken what they had between them permanently?

Arizona looked at her, blue eyes bright, focused on Callie, "I-I panicked. I've had it pointed out to me that I call things wrong, sometimes."

Callie looked up from the floor, eyes questioning but not saying anything.

Arizona continued, "I-Callie," her voice cracked, "Can you forgive that? I was-God, I'm still, so scared I'm not going to get them back."

Callie hesitated, watching Arizona's face, taking her in.

"Y-you want me to fogive that?"

Arizona closed her eyes. She'd pushed Callie too far. She knew it was wrong, but she had really hoped Callie would have understood where she was coming from enough to forgive what she'd done.

Her eyes opened slowly as she felt hands gently cup her cheeks, swallowing heavily when she saw Callie, inches from her face.

"Are you asking, because you want this back? Or-" Callie bit her lip, "Or because, you want forgiveness so you don't feel guilty?"

Arizona raised her hands up, resting them over Callie's, "I want this back, Callie. I can't-I can't breathe without you. Everything's been so hard."

Callie's face slowly broke in to a smile, "I thought you were just apologising."

Arizona shook her head, "I was, but also-I don't want to do this without you." Arizona leant forward, hesitating a second with her lips hovering over Callie's, before pressing a kiss to her lips. She melted in to Callie, relsihing the feel of her under her after days of tumoil. She pulled back slowly, resting her forehead on Callie's, "I need to have them back, I can't be without them. But, God, Callie, I can't be without you, either."

Arizona hated the waver in her voice. Callie looked at her like she wanted to say somthing to take everything away. She brushed her thumbs over the skin of Arizona's cheeks before letting her hands fall to her shoulders.

"Are you saying what I think you're saying? Because if you aren't, and I'm wrong, I need to know now because I can't take you walking away from me again."

"I am. Saying what you think I'm saying, I mean."

Callie smiled again, the smile that always made Arizona melt.

"Good." Callie murmured, "Just-don't panic again, okay?"

There was a fragility to her tone that made guilt flare in Arizona's chest. She shook her head, "I won't."

Callie tightened her grip, this time meeting Arizona halfway in a kiss. Their lips moved slowly, the tense feeling leaving Arizona's muscles for the first time in days at the feel of Callie. Their movements were soft, gentle, not at all the frenzied kissing Arizona had imagined earlier; it was better. When they parted, both were gripping each other, fingers digging in to skin.

Arizona leant her whole body in to Callie's, felt her arms wrap around her.

Her voice was a whisper.

"I'm so scared they're going to take them for good."

Callie nodded, forehead still pressed to Arizona's.

"I know. But we aren't going to let that happen."

####


	22. Chapter 22

**Title: **Changes  
**Author: **gabs88  
**Pairing: **Callie/Arizona  
**Summary: **When Arizona's brother dies in a car crash with his wife, she is named guardian of his two children. What does this mean for the life of someone who never wanted her own kids, let alone anyone elses?  
**Rating: **M. I feel like there needs to be a higher warning for the drama content. Is that weird?  
**Disclaimer: **All characters belong to ABC/Shonda Rhimes.  
**Note:** Thanks for all the replies :). Love reading through them all, you guys are just awesome. I feel I don't say this enough.  
Thank you for your patience, I know updates aren't happening as often as they used to-but I'm doing my best :). Unfortunately, this will be the average length between updates for awhile-but as promised, they wont stop all together!

**Changes  
Chapter Twenty Two**

"You're thinking."

Arizona blinked rapidly and turned slightly, looking over her shoulder at Callie, smiling softly, "How do you know that? You're being big spoon."

Callie pressed a kiss to Arizona's shoulder, adjusting her arms as Arizona rolled over in them, their faces now a foot apart on the same pillow. Arizona hooked her leg over Callie's thigh, calf running up Callie's leg to settle. Callie smiled at her and pushed Arizona's hair back behind her ears.

"You're the loudest thinker I know."

Arizona ran her hand down Callie's bare arm to rest it on her hip, fingers stroking the skin softly, "Sorry."

Callie bit her lip, "You don't need to be sorry."

"Then why do you look so worried?"

Callie's brow furrowed and she shook her head, burying her face in Arizona's neck, "I don't."

Arizona wrapped her arms around Callie and held her to her, feeling her lips graze her neck, "You do. And now you're hiding." Callie sighed against her skin. "Please don't feel like you can't talk to me."

Callie shook her head, her hair soft against Arizona's chin.

They'd left the hospital after the elevator, hands joined and walking past a triumphant looking Teddy. She was in fact feeling so triumphant, she was still holding Cristina's shirt and jumping up and down, Cristina looking half annoyed and half amused, still finishing off her apple as she waited for the elevator to return. Callie had been doing what Arizona was there to do-working to distract herself. Neither had wanted to stay any longer, Arizona looking fragile and Callie looking uncertain and almost nervous.

They'd fallen on each other after walking in the door, tearing at clothes and making their way to Callie's bedroom incredibly quickly. They'd grasped at each other, their actions desperate, a word not spoken as they built each other to an almost painfully fast climax.

They'd repeated the process, slower this time, again not talking, something so unlike them.

And now Callie was hesitant to say what was on her mind.

Arizona couldn't even really blame her. She hadn't wanted to end it, to end them. She'd been in panic mode, reflexes all in gear to protect the kids that had been torn from her. Her mother had looked at her, frustrated and almost sad, as she had said 'You've always tried to do the right thing, ever since you were a little girl. But sometimes, you've got the unfortunate habit of calling it so very wrong'. They were words that had stuck in her head, had played over and over. Teddy bailing her up in the bathroom and then shoving her in the elevator had been the final straw. Arizona couldn't continue doing something that was so painful, that felt so wrong, when people kept pointing out the cracks in her logic. She had, at the time, honestly believed she had been doing the right thing for the kids.

Arizona pressed her lips to the top of Callie's head, wrapping her arms tighter around her and winding their legs together. She rolled on to her back, pulling Callie with her so Callie was half laying on her.

Callie sighed, audibly this time, "It's not that I feel like I _can't_. I just-" she buried her face harder in to Arizona, "You dissapeared. And I get why, I do. But you started to shut down in the morning, and then when you paged me, I-I honestly didn't even expect you to do it." Callie's voice had gotten to a whisper, "It was such a shock. And now you're thinking. Loudly, and what if-"

Callie didn't finish the sentence and Arizona didn't really need her to. Swallowing heavily, Arizona tightened her hold and she felt tears against her neck, though Callie didn't make a sound.

Finally, Callie drew in a quiet, shuddering breath, it warm against Arizona's skin as she let it out slowly, "And then in the elevator, I thought you were just, making peace. Even though, part of me was kind of, waiting, for you. To come back, I-I kind of expected it to be when you had the kids back, and things had settled."

Arizona gently cupped Callie's cheeks and tilted her head up, Callie's tear filled eyes meeting her own.

"You mean more to me, than that."

A tear fell down Callie's cheek.

Arizona wanted to fix it all, but knew there wasn't a lot she could say, but it wasn't going to stop her trying. "I know, why you would feel like that. And I don't blame you if you don't believe everything I'm saying. But just-I just hope you know, that what I did, had absolutely nothing to do with you, or us, and everything to do with the kids, and my panic."

Callie nodded and Arizona pulled her up and in to a kiss. Callie pulled back and Arizona ran her tongue over her own bottom lip, tasting salt. Callie leant her head on her hand, elbow digging in to the mattress near Arizona's head, splaying a hand over Arizona's sternum, fingers brushing her skin. She looked down at Arizona like she was a puzzle Callie needed to solve.

"It was so frustrating, because I knew why you were doing what you were doing. I didn't know how to fight for you, in these circumstances." Callie raised her eyes up to look at Arizona, "All I could think to do was honor what you wanted, even though not being with you felt so wrong."

Arizona raised her hand up and lay it over Callie's on her chest, fingertips running over the top of Callie's hand, "If it helps at all, I was a mess. I just-it tore me apart. And then my mother, and Teddy, not so kindly pointed out to me that I'm an idiot."

"So I should call your Mom and say thanks?"

"The last voice mail from her ended with, 'are you back Callie yet? You better be, young lady!'"

Callie couldn't help but smile, lowering her head to lay a platonic kiss to Arizona's breast, lips moving against her skin as she spoke, "So you found me because of threats from Teddy and Barbara?"

Callie's tone went for lighthearted, but Arizona could hear the genuine concern behind the question.

She rolled them smoothly, rolling on top of Callie, Callie's hands falling to the small of her back as Arizona settled between her legs. She looked at Callie, head tilted, expression serious, "Yes, Teddy pushed me in to that elevator. And yes, I needed Mom and Teddy to snap me out of the haze I was in. But I said it all, because I meant it. Because I was a mess without you. Because I need you with me, by my side, if I'm going to get through this." Arizona leant down and kissed her, firmly, pulling back, "Okay?"

Callie gave a nod, "Okay."

It was going to be awhile until Callie felt she wasn't going to run again.

Callie suddenly smiled, cheeky and relaxing slightly. "And you missed the sex, didn't you?"

Arizona chuckled, lips against Callie's neck, "That was about eighty percent of the reason."

As Arizona ran her lips slowly over Callie's collar bone, between her breasts, against her stomach, she took her time, working Callie in to a frenzy and loving her as best she could.

She felt so lucky, just to have her back.

And she'd make sure Callie felt that, every day if she had to.

####

They woke up slowly, Arizona with the day off to prepare for the trial and Callie calling in sick to Hunt.

"What's he going to do? Fire me?"

She'd called and hung up, a small laugh escaping as Arizona carried in two steaming mugs of coffee, wearing just her underwear, ignoring Callie playfully as she ran her eyes up and down her body. She slipped back under the covers and handed a mug to Callie.

"What's funny?"

"He sighed and said, 'I suppose you need tomorrow off, too?'"

Arizona smirked, "What you say?"

"I said yeah, or I could just call in sick again."

Arizona sipped her coffee, looking at her over the rim, "Thank you."

Blowing on her cup, Callie gave her a questioning look, "What for?"

"For being here, for coming. For spending the day with me so I don't go crazy."

"Thank you for letting me."

They smiled tentatively at each other.

"Hunt made me have today off, you know."

"He did?"

Arizona nodded, "I told him I'd need the afternoon to see the lawyer and he told me to have the whole day. It's nice and all, but at the time I was freaking out, because it meant too much time not doing anything."

"Now?"

"Now I have you to keep me calm."

Callie leant forward, kissing her, before settling back against the headboard.

"So what's your plan for today?"

Arizona gave a small shrug, "Scotts this afternoon. Maybe see my Mom before hand. Try not to think too much."

Callie nodded.

"And," Arizona looked up almost shyly from her coffee, "Hang with you."

Callie smiled, "We can definitely do that."

Arizona drained the last of her mug, putting it on the bed side table and settling down on her back, head in Callie's lap.

Silence settled over them as Callie sipped at her coffee, her fingertips running gently over Arizona's stomach and hips. Arizona started up at the ceiling, comfortable, thoughts starting to wonder to the trial tomorrow.

"Callie," Arizona's voice was low, "What if I don't get them back tomorrow?"

Callie rest her hand on Arizona's bare stomach, "Then we fight our asses off to have them back to you at the other trial."

Arizona sighed, "It's been so long since I've seen them. I just, I hadn't even realised, in a way, just how much I need them." Arizona stared straight up at the ceiling, "Just how much they're a part of my life, now."

Callie brushed Arizona's hair off her forehead, hand soothing it's way along the strands, "I know."

Arizona looked up and in to to Callie's eyes, "I miss them. So much."

Callie leant forward and kissed her forehead, "Me too."

Arizona gave her a grim smile and rest her hand over Callie's, where it had come to rest against her stomach again.

Callie smiled at her, "Plus side?"

Arizona looked up, a questioning look on her face, "Mm?"

"You look hot as all hell laying with no shirt on like that."

Arizona even laughed.

They took their time moving in the morning, mostly chatting idly, taking a long shower and slowly trying to be at ease with each other again. They'd always had an easy time in each others company, Callie being Arizona's escape from the drama and intensity of her new life, that the slight barrier between them unsettled both of them.

It just made Arizona resolve more to break it down.

Despite it, though, Callie was still Callie, and Arizona was still Arizona, and together, they couldn't help but be comfortable. They'd had it from the moment they met, the playfulness, the ease, and it was still there, glimmering through enough to make Arizona not panic at the slight awkwardness.

It would take Callie awhile to trust her again, even if she wasn't holding resentment towards her for what had happened.

Callie went with her to Barbara's, Barbara wrapping her in a hug but saying nothing else when she answered the door to find them both standing there. She cupped Callie's cheeks a second, unable to stop the grin that over took her face, then dragged them in and sat them down with tea and coffee.

Arizona was almost unable to hold it together when Barbara handed her art from Ella, a tight smile on her lips.

It was pictures, four paintings in all, showing Arizona, Ella and Toby doing different things. In a few of them was Barbara, in a few of those were also Tim and Sally on the cloud, similar to the one in Arizona's office.

She got to the last one and felt her self well up, biting her lip and handing it to Callie before taking a long sip of her coffee to hold herself together.

Callie gave a smile at the site, her own eyes glittering as she looked at the picture. Barbara nodded to herself, took it from Callie, and put it to the fridge with a magnet.

Ella had painted, sitting around a very odd looking table, Ella and Toby eating dinner, with who could only be Teddy, Callie and Arizona all around them. Callie and Teddy even had their stethoscope around their necks.

"She wanted me to give you all of these. The teacher asked the kids in her class to paint a few paintings about their family." Barbara said, her smile sad. She held out a last painting "And this one is from Toby."

Arizona felt a tug at her heart as she took hold of the painting, in which clearly Toby had been given a pot of pain and just his hands. It was a bright red smear, and Arizona could only imagine how much paint had ended up covering him.

She handed it to Callie to look at and took another long sip on her coffee.

"Thanks, Mom."

"They really are okay, Arizona. I know how you feel though. I wouldn't have felt better hearing you say it, it was seeing them that did it."

Arizona gave a stoic nod, grasping Callie's fingers where they were squeezing her knee.

She just wanted them back. She was exhausted, being on edge like this constantly. Having Callie back, even though it had only been a few days they were apart, was helping. However, what was really going to quell this ache in her chest, this constant stress, was having Ella and Toby back under her roof.

They all chatted awhile, slightly on edge while trying to appear calm.

Leaving just before two, Callie and Arizona went out for a late lunch before the meeting with Scott, mostly for the need for a distraction before the meeting. Feeling slightly bad that their reunion was tainted with all of their focus being on the next days trial, Arizona pressed in close to Callie at the booth seat, needing the closeness. She draped her arm along the back of it, Callie leaning in to her. They ate quietly, sharing the odd smile and exchange of words.

"Nervous?" Callie's eyes peered at Arizona over the coffee cup.

Arizona gave a nod, "I don't want to be. Scott's trying to prepare me, about what to expect tomorrow."

"That's what this afternoons meeting is for?"

"Yeah." Arizona stared at her plate, teeth worrying her bottom lip.

Callie put her cup down and gently lifted Arizona's chin up with her hand, Arizona finally dragging her eyes up to meet Callie's. They looked at each other a moment, Arizona's eyes bright and nervous, Callie's empathetic.

"It's going to go fine." Arizona stared at her, wanting to believe her, "Anyone with a brain can see you are what is best for those kids. It _sucks_ this has had to happen, but we are going to get them back to you."

Arizona gave a nod, Callie leaning forward and pressing a quick kiss to her lips before pulling back. Her fingers grazed from her chin along her cheek, hand gently cupping it for a second before she let her hand fall and leant back in her chair, eyes still on Arizona as she smiled softly at her.

"This is exactly what is wrong with you."

Arizona whipped her head around, recognising the voice and feeling her stomach drop. Cathy stood, eyes blazing and cheeks flushed, looking down at the two of them across their table. She felt Callie tense next to her, whole body reacting to the presence of the woman.

"Showing _that_, in public." Cathy's voice was wavering with her disgust, her tone low, stony, "Flaunting this, where _anyone_ can see you. This is why those innocent children have been taken off you."

Arizona felt anger licking up inside her, felt her self sit straighter. She stared Cathy down, feeling it burn in her chest, the desire to spit out everything she thought of this woman. Seeing her, Arizona finally felt the anger truly take old of her. She had ripped the kids out of their home after they had only lost their parents months before. She had traumatised already damaged children. She had maliciously turned their, and Arizona's, life upside down. And now she was looking at her and her girlfriend like they were dirt.

She took in a deep breath, trying to rein it in.

"They've been taken from me because of false allocations from you, Cathy. Not for any other reason."

She did her best to keep her voice low, calm. Callie's hand slipped on to her knee, where Cathy couldn't see it, and gave a squeeze. It was a reminder, of sorts. Scott had told Arizona to steer clear of Cathy, and if she saw her, to not have a confrontation. Anything could damage their case, and Arizona needed to calm down.

Something that was incredibly difficult to do when the woman was standing over them, looking at them like _that._ When she was the cause of Ella and Toby being in foster care.

Cathy gave a snort of a laugh, and Arizona could barely look at the twisted look of hate on features that reminded her so much of Sally. Sally, who had been one of the most accepting, least judgemental people Arizona had known. Sally, who had not wanted her mother in her own life, let alone her childrens.

"They got taken because I was right. And I am going to raise them with real morals and values, and keep your, your," Cathy looked them up and down and Arizona felt Callie's hand tighten on her leg, "Depravity, away from them."

Arizona stood up, taking Callie's hand and pulling her up with her, sliding out from the table and starting to walk past Cathy, not looking at her.

"Really, Arizona, if you love those children_, if_ your kind are capable of that, you will let them go."

She kept her eyes forward, Callie's hand in hers, and led them out.

Cathy, whose voice had thus far been kept low in her indignant state, called after them, "Who will you answer to, Arizona, when your time comes?"

Arizona called out without even looking over her shoulder, "My conscience."

They exited the cafe, walking quickly, Arizona's breathing coming fast, their hands clasped between them. The cool air was stinging her burning cheeks. They rounded a corner and came to Arizona's car, Callie pulling them up short next to it, Arizona leaning back heavily against the door, the metal cool even through her clothing.

She lifted her eyes to Callie's to see the anger she knew was on her own face reflected back at her. They looked at each other a moment before, finally, Callie spoke, her voice terse.

"She's a crazy bitch."

Arizona actually managed to crack a smile, "She really is."

"You did really well, to just leave like that."

"What gives her the _right_ to feel she can judge people like that?"

Callie shook her head, "I have no idea."

"You hand is shaking."

"I'm pretty mad. She was looking at us like were filth. And what she said-" Callie cut herself off, too angry to continue.

Arizona squeezed the hand still clasped in her own, "Thank you, for keeping your cool."

"Saying anything to that woman wouldn't have helped."

"Thank you, too, for just-"

Callie cocked her head at her, a questioning look on her face.

"I was just glad you were there."

Callie smiled, nodding slowly, "I'm glad you weren't doing that alone."

"I'm sorry she looked at you like that."

Callie shook her head, "Don't you dare apologise for her."

Arizona closed her eyes and leant her head back against the car, "God, the kids can just _not_ go to her."

Callie tugged on her hand, standing her up, she wrapped her arms around her and Arizona buried her head in Callie's neck.

"There is no way in hell that's going to happen."

Arizona let out a heavy breath against Callie's neck, pulling back to look at her.

"Let's get to the lawyers and get this day over with. I want it to be tomorrow already."

"Can I shoot spit balls at the back of Cathy's neck from where I'm sitting?"

Arizona gave a short laugh, "That? That you can do."

####

Arizona was sitting on the back porch, a glass of wine next to her, a cigarette in her hand, the lighter twirling between the fingers of the other. Staring out in to the backyard, she watched a plane go over head, too far over to hear, lights flickering. The cigarette was passed to the hand with the lighter as she reached for her glass to take a sip, putting it back down to be replaced by the cigarette again, lighter resuming its movements.

Callie had gone home to get clothing for tomorrow, promising to come back as soon as she'd grabbed a shower and something court appropriate.

The meeting with Scott had gone fine, he'd ran over his questions and posed the questions to her he believed the states Attorney would ask. He reassured them, reiterated how it would be ran and answered their questions.

He assured them again that being gay couldn't keep the kids off of Arizona. The case was based on neglect, of her allegations.

He'd said it before, but Arizona was still nervous.

Scott had praised them both when they had told him what had occurred with Cathy. Walking away had been the best thing they could do, apparently. He had rolled his eyes at what the woman had had to say.

But still, Arizona was wracked with nerves. No one could assure a sure thing. No one could say how it would pan out. It could drag out, too. For weeks, if the judge wasn't satisfied Arizona wasn't neglecting Ella and Toby. Someone else could get temporary guardianship until the formal trial. They could stay in foster care, go to Cathy. Arizona could go to trial for genuine neglect.

She flicked the lighter once before twirling it again.

Teddy had text her just before, she would be coming over for breakfast in the morning, as would Barbara and Daniel, to all go in to the court house together.

They were going to a court house.

She missed the kids so much she ached. She wanted to be about to go to bed, checking on each of them before she did so. She wanted to be woken by Toby, to feel the warmth of him in her arms, sleepy and nestling in to her to be soothed back to sleep. She wanted to have a conversation with Ella, to hear her giggles light up the room, to watch her get excited about something. She wanted to watch them interact, to listen to Ella make up stories for Toby, to watch how Toby's eyes would light up when his sister would walk in to the room.

The house was too quiet, to settled.

She was sitting in her old spot, her escape spot. The place she would sit, to smoke a sneaky cigarette and drink some wine, to miss her brother and miss her old life. To wonder what the hell he had been thinking. To dread the sound of Toby waking up or Ella waking up with sad eyes and hard questions, in case she didn't know what to do.

How everything, literally everything, had changed.

The plane finally disappeared and she was left with nothing to focus on.

Eyes sweeping the small backyard, she took in the dimensions.

It wasn't huge, no room for a swing set or a trampoline. Tim and Sally had liked that they had a park a five minute walk away.

While it wasn't a huge space, a dog would be happy there.

She bet the kids would love a puppy.

She sipped her wine again.

Or a kitten.

Were you supposed to start small? Maybe a hamster.

Arizona liked the idea of a puppy or a kitten. Her and Tim had never had pets, they'd moved too much.

She put the wine glass down and flicked her lighter again.

What if she didn't get them back?

God, she just wanted to see them, to hug them and reassure them and start to mend everything that this situation would have caused.

Cathy had shattered so much. The woman had left her angry after their run in today. Arizona had been so relieved Callie had been there, had kept her steady with the slightest of touches.

That woman was out to destroy what ever she could with no thought of what her actions were actually doing.

"God damn you, Cathy." She muttered.

"I second that."

Callie's voice was quiet behind her, not even making her startle. She hadn't heard her let herself in, like Arizona had said she should.

Arizona looked over her shoulder, seeing Callie framed by the back door. She let herself through and settled next to Arizona, wrapped in the leather jacket that never failed to make Arizona drool.

"You find a power court outfit?"

Callie nodded, "Yup, and it's awesome, if I do say so my-you smoke?"

Arizona stopped twirling the lighter, looking down at her hands. She had meant to either smoke it before Callie got back, or, if she was being honest, play with it then hide it before she got back.

"Uh, only rarely, when I'm stressed, or feel like I'm going to be in trouble." Callie raised her eyebrows. "Like now, apparently." Arizona put them down next to her and grabbed her wine glass, taking hold of the one next to it filled with red, holding it to Callie, "Don't be mad?" She gave a charming smile, "I had wine ready for you."

Callie narrowed her eyes, "Hmm." Taking the glass and having a sip, she put the glass next to her and turned back to Arizona as if ready to carry the cigarette conversation on, but seemed to decide against it.

"It's awful, I know." Arizona bit her lip.

Callie leant forward, slowly, Arizona's eyes fluttering closed as she pressed her lips against hers briefly. She pulled back slowly.

"I'm glad you didn't, you smell a lot better with out the smoke."

Arizona gave her a smile, kissing her again before leaning against her side, Callie wrapping an arm around her shoulders. Fingers stroking absently at her arm, they lost themselves staring in to the back yard, wines forgotten.

"Big day tomorrow." Callie said softly.

Arizona nodded.

"It's been a big week."

Arizona nodded again, taking in a deep breath.

"Next week will be good."

Arizona lifted her head from Callie's shoulder, "Yeah?"

Callie nodded, "Yeah."

Arizona couldn't think about it anymore. Nothing, now, would change anything. Tomorrow, tomorrow they'd know. She dropped her head back to Callie's shoulder, watching another plane cross over the sky, Callie's arm tightening around her shoulders. The outside air combined with Callie's warmth was soothing, a balm to help her stop thinking about the next day, to try not to focus on what Toby and Ella were doing, how there were, if they were coping.

"Want to go upstairs?" Callie's voice was soft, gentle, "I know a stress reliever that doesn't give you cancer."

Arizona smiled softly, burrowing in to Callie more, arm draping over her leg, hand squeezing her knee.

"Definitely." Arizona didn't move, "In a minute?"

Callie turned her head, kissing the top of Arizona's.

"In a minute."

#####

**Now. I am incredibly lucky and have not come across bigotry from the likes of a Cathy. Unfortunately, I know those who have-some of these are lines of things actually said to people I know. Writing it was weird-that woman be cray. I just want to say that I know many lovely people who are religious, and I don't remotely believe that to be a Christian is to be Cathy. She is an extreme. **


	23. Chapter 23

**Title: **Changes  
**Author: **gabs88  
**Pairing: **Callie/Arizona  
**Summary: **When Arizona's brother dies in a car crash with his wife, she is named guardian of his two children. What does this mean for the life of someone who never wanted her own kids, let alone anyone elses?  
**Rating: **M.  
**Disclaimer: **All characters belong to ABC/Shonda Rhimes.  
**Authors note: **Literally smiled to myself while writing this on a dodgy train (yes, I'm that crazy person), because it's so obvious I know nothing about court stuff and that what I do know comes from TV. Sorry in advance.

**Changes  
Chapter Twenty Three**

Her heart was racing and she couldn't slow it.

"Arizona, you need to breathe."

She looked up from her coffee, and Teddy was looking her in the eye from across the table. Arizona nodded.

"Really, you do."

"I'm okay."

"You're not. And that's okay. But seriously, breathe."

Arizona nodded again and sipped from her mug, both hands wrapped around it as if it could warm her completely, trying to breathe normally and probably failing.

"Look, you have Callie back, which, I think, we can all thank me for," Teddy gave her a charming grin and Arizona even managed to roll her eyes, "And soon, you'll have those kids back. By this weekend, all going well, they'll be in this house and we'll all be planning our next movie night."

"This could go terrible."

Teddy nodded thoughtfully, "It could. But it wont. She doesn't have a leg to stand on. All the allegations are crap and you deserve those kids."

Arizona nodded once.

Teddy looked at her for a second then sighed.

"Look, worst case scenario? You never get the kids back and you act out like an idiot by breaking up with Callie again, dooming yourself to a life of loneliness. I'll buy you ten cats, you can be _that _crazy person and be alone forever and when you die, they can eat you from the toes up."

Arizona looked at Teddy horrified, and Teddy shrugged, smirking.

"Just trying to show you that things can always be worse."

Arizona was still looking at her with a horrified look on her face when Callie walked in, fresh from her shower. She paused in the kitchen and looked from Teddy, who was still smirking, to Arizona, who's eyes were wide with horror as she stared at Teddy.

"Teddy! What did you do?"

Teddy whipped her head around to look at Callie, feigning innocence, "What? Nothing."

"I'd just calmed her down and waited for you to get here to go shower, so Arizona wouldn't hype herself up again when left alone, and now I've come down and she looks absolutely horrified."

"I am horrified! And I don't need babysitting." The indignant tone was strong.

Callie smiled at her and walked over, leaning down and kissing her, "I know you don't. Sorry. just concerned." She stood up and pinched Arizona's coffee, taking a sip, "Why do you look so terrified?"

"No reason." Arizona glared at Teddy who snickered. She turned back to Callie, "You smell good."

Callie smiled and kissed her again, before heading for the fridge, "Eggs? Bacon? Mushrooms? Whole lot?"

"Yes!" Teddy exclaimed.

Both Arizona and Callie looked at her, eyebrows raised. Teddy managed to look sheepish, "I mean, whatever you want, is fine."

"You still living off vending machine food?"

Teddy shrugged and changed the topic, "When's your mum getting here?" Arizona let it slide for now as Callie went about making them breakfast, relieved that at least, Teddy was enthusiastic about food

"Any minute now." Teddy nodded and Arizona looked up at Callie, now behind the kitchen bench with a mountain of food in front of her, "Want a hand?"

Callie smiled at her, "You can chop mushrooms."

Arizona stood up, taking the knife Callie held out, "What sucks about being me is I always get stuck with the chopping duties."

Callie kissed her cheek and went back to slicing bacon, "I'd let you cook the eggs, but last time you got distracted and rather than poached we got rocks."

Arizona made a face and kept chopping and Teddy smirked, "Or that morning she was going to make us pancakes and put salt in the mix instead of sugar."

Callie put the bacon on a plate and started cracking eggs in a bowl to mix, "Or when she cooked us spaghetti and somehow burnt the pasta."

"Guys! I am _right_ here. And it's not that bad."

Teddy and Callie met each others eyes with raised eyebrows. Arizona went back to chopping the mushrooms, "You guys suck."

"That would be your lasagna."

"Hey!"

Teddy smirked and sipped her coffee. Callie slipped behind Arizona on her way to the sink, kissing the back of her neck and whispering in her ear, "It's okay, you're good at other things."

Slightly placated, Arizona finished up with the mushrooms. As she was washing her hands, the front door opened and her mothers voice floated down the hall, "I'm here!"

"In the kitchen, Mom!" Wiping her hands on a hand towel, Arizona sat back at the table.

Her mothers voice floated down the hall as she took off her jacket, "Oh my God, something smells delicious-wait, Arizona, you're not c-" She appeared in the kitchen doorway, a look of relief on her face as she took in the scene in front of her, "Oh, good, never mind."

"What?"

"Just-glad to see Callie in the kitchen," She smiled at Callie as she looked up smirking at the words, "Morning, Callie, dear."

"Morning Barbara."

"Hello, Teddy-you look lovely."

"Thanks, Barbara, you too, as always."

"Excuse me!" They all looked at Arizona. "What is this? I am not that bad in the kitchen."

"Honey, you couldn't make cookies in your easy bake oven. Admit defeat."

Arizona actually pouted.

She suddenly looked confused, "Where's Dad?"

Barbara avoided her eye, bustling in to the kitchen and getting herself a coffee, "Oh, he's going to meet us there."

Arizona, emotional and exhausted and more highly strung than she had realised, bit out, "Or he couldn't stand to be in the same room as me for five minutes."

Barbara's cup clattered as she half dropped it on to the bench. They eyed each other for a moment, Arizona biting her lip and Barbara looking unmeasurably sad.

Truth swirled around them, normally unspoken.

Her mother went back to making her coffee and Arizona felt her cheeks flush, almost in shame. Teddy was steadfastly looking at the table and Callie was stirring mushrooms in a pan slowly, looking from Barbara to Arizona and back again.

Barbara stirred her coffee and finally spoke, her voice measured, "He'll meet us at the court house."

Arizona nodded, "Okay."

Callie cleared her throat, "Uh-breakfast is ready."

Barbara slid in to her seat at the table and rest her hand on Arizona's forearm, giving it a squeeze, "Excellent. Dish it up, then, Callie. I need my energy to put this woman in the ground!" At the surrounding raised eyebrows, Barbara shrugged, "What? I like a full stomach before I kick some bigoted ass."

They ate, trying hard to keep everyone's mind off the trial starting in just over an hour. They were all nervous, the energy palpable, all having to get up and defend a situation none felt they should have to. Get it right, and two kids would be back where they belonged. Get it wrong and who knew where they'd end up.

They took one car, Barbara driving them to the court house.

They entered and met Scott inside. He smiled at them all roguishly, and Arizona was grateful for his easy charm, his comfort in a building none of them knew. Take the scalpels out of their hands, and they turned unsure, confidence gone.

"Ladies, you all look delightful."

All four were wearing suits with pencil skirts, excluding Barbara who had gone a pant suit.

_"I'm not the gay, dear, I'm not out trying to prove my femininity. On that, you shouldn't have to, either."_

He led them all through to a heavy wood door, chairs lined up outside, a court bailiff standing next to the door.

Scott turned to them, "Okay, ladies, this is where Arizona and I head inside. You all just need to be seated out here until you're called." He smiled at them, "Stay calm, big breaths. Just no talking to one another."

Barbara looked at him with a strange look on her face, "We could talk until now?"

He shrugged, "Crazy court laws." He winked at her and Arizona could swear her mother actually swooned.

Barbara, Teddy and Callie all smiled at her, and Arizona wanted to drag every one of them in there with her for moral support.

She caught Callie's eye, who was looking slightly pale, though smiled at her reassuringly, "We're just on the other side of the door-okay?"

Arizona nodded, trying to smile at them.

Scott took her arm and started to lead her through the door.

"Oh, Arizona!"

Arizona turned her head. Her mother was grinning at her.

"My stomach is extra full." She raised her eyebrows, "It's on."

Arizona gave a laugh and followed Scott in.

Even though Scott had told her what to expect, she had still pictured walking in to a huge court room, with a huge spot for people to sit and watch, with rails then tables for the prosecution and defence, with the judge put up high, the jury on the right, a witness box.

Instead she walked in, and there was seating for people to watch, but there was no one there, as promised. There was a rail after that, with a table on both the left and the right for the prosecution and defence, but the judge wouldn't be seated above them, there was no spot for the jury, the room was smaller, less intimidating. The table stretched out at the front of the room was long, but at the same level as the two smaller tables in front of it. A large chair sat for the judge, a bailiff on either end, records keeper seated near the end. To the right, the table made a sligh 'L' shape where a witness could sit and give their testimony.

Overall, a welcome anti climax.

Arizona was still not looking forward to this, her palms sweaty and nerves taking over her stomach.

Scott smiled at her reassuringly, "I told you it was fine."

She gave him a small smile and followed him up to the smaller table on the right, walking through the gate as he held it open for her.

"So Lorna will come in with the state lawyer, then the judge, and then it will start?"

He nodded at her and poured her a glass of water from the jug on the table, "That's it. Here, drink this." He poured himself one as she drank, then pulled out various papers from his briefcase, settling them down in front of her.

Arizona turned as she heard a door open behind her, seeing Lorna walk through with a greying man in a suit. Lorna smiled at her, pausing as they walked through the gate.

"Hi, Arizona."

"Hi."

Arizona went to open her mouth, to ask how the kids were, but felt Scott put his hand on her arm to stop her.

She did it anyway, "How are they?"

Her eyes must have read as completely desperate for news, because even as the lawyer took Lorna's elbow to lead her to their table, Lorna, a professional through and through, gave a quick answer.

"Spoke to the foster family this morning, they're fine."

Arizona nodded at her and have her a tight lipped smile.

She turned and saw Scott glaring at her.

"What?"

He rolled his eyes, "Nothing."

She threw him what she hoped was a charming smile and he went back to his papers.

"Scott." She all but whispered it.

He looked at her sideways, "Hm?"

"We have to get them back."

He looked her dead in the eye, "I know."

She gave a nod, "Good."

Suddenly one of the bailiffs near the door stood straighter, "All rise for the Honorable Judge Gordon."

They all stood, and Arizona felt her heart thumping in her chest.

It was finally happening.

The judge that walked in was dressed as Arizona would imagine one to be dressed as, from her small amount of knowledge on the matter. Which mostly related to Jodi Picoult books and bad TV drama's. He was a tall, thin man, probably in his late fifties to early sixties, a thick head of silver hair and an air about him of forbearance.

Though that was probably Arizona's over active imagination.

He sat and nodded to the court room, and Arizona followed everyone elses suit and sat back down.

The bailiff closest to the judge read out from a ledger, "Case of State vs Robbins in relation to accusations of neglect to two wards in her care pending guardianship approval, presided over by Judge Gordon."

The judge nodded, then spoke to the state attorney, "And today, if charges proved to be true, we are also to look at temporary guardianship of," he looked down at the papers in front of him and Arizona instantly liked him a little better for it, "Ella and Toby until the final guardianship hearing. Is this correct?"

The state attorney nodded, "Correct, your honour."

The judge cleared his throat, and looked from Lorna to Arizona, "Now, this isn't a trial. We don't do big opening and closing speeches. We are a family court, and here to do what is best for these two children, whatever that may be."

He nodded then looked to the state attorney, "Begin."

And so it began.

The attorney stood up and spoke, "Your honor, we are mostly here to investigate the claims put forth by the children's maternal grandmother. If these claims are turned over by the court, Child Protective Services wanted it known that they are more than happy for custody to go back over to the original holder pending the guardianship hearing, as per the biological parents request."

"And why did we need a guardianship hearing in the first place?"

Scott stood and the judge nodded at him, Arizona finally realising this wasn't a court room drama with gravels and yelling, but a far more relaxed affair. A small knot relaxed in her stomach.

"Your honour, originally none was needed. You can see in the copy of the will submitted, the deceased Timothy and Sally Robbins had named my client Arizona Robbins as guardian. As she accepted it, the paperwork was awaiting signing off by a judge. However, the maternal grandmother since petitioned the court for guardianship, hence the need for the trial."

The judge nodded, turning to the state attorney, "And were the charges of neglect put forth by this woman before or after she petitioned for guardianship?"

"After."

The judge looked thoughtful for a moment, then looked back to Scott, "Did you wish to start with your character references?"

"Yes, your honour."

Arizona sat, fairly speechless, as people were paraded in to literally sing her praises.

First was Ella's school counselor, who spoke of how Ella had, obviously, been incredibly quiet and withdrawn when returning to school post the death of her parents. She let the court know that Arizona had regularly checked in with her about Ella. She told the court that Ella had slowly been coming back to herself, a focus on the art work rather than talking, what had shown this to her.

"Ella's latest work, when the teacher had them painting their family, has been showing her Aunty, Doctor Robbins, and Toby and Ella, sometimes with her parents on a cloud over her house."

"Anyone else?"

"A Doctor Callie has appeared, and a Teddy."

The judge had looked at her, "A teddy bear?"

The counselor had smiled and Arizona almost snorted, only just managing to hold her laugh in, "No, a person called Teddy. I understand they're friends of Doctor Robbins, and have come to mean a lot to Ella."

Scott nodded, "And do you see anything wrong with Ella forming attachments to these people?"

"What? No, of course not. In fact, it's good. New attachments, new bonds, all showing Ella that people are still there for her, in a variety of roles, after such a profound loss. It's healthy. What is especially healthy is that Ella has more than accepted these new people in her life, she's welcomed them."

"Have you ever had any concerns about Ella's living arrangement since her parents passing?"

"Never."

The state attorney had no questions.

Hunt had appeared, answering questions about Arizona's role at work.

Scott asked him about Arizona's work in the OR compared to other surgeons. Hunt gave a grin, "Her OR stats are lower than other heads of departments. Normally surgeons are fighting to get in to the OR, and from what I know about Doctor Robbins past, she was a star surgeon, working late with some of the best stats in the field. She's an incredible surgeon."

"Now?"

"She's still an incredible surgeon, but she delegates some of the longer surgeries to ensure she's home with the kids, her OR time is less because she doesn't work a lot of lates or weekends."

"She sacrifices her career to be home with her brothers children?"

"Every day. Like most of the parents I employ do." He paused, "More so, actually."

When the state attorney asked him questions he was as blunt as Arizona would expect him to be.

"Does Doctor Robbins regularly work late?"

"No."

"Not at all?"

"She has, I think, on one occasion while the kids were in her care. As I said already, when Doctor Robbins interviewed for the position, she explained her situation with the children clearly, and specified that long hours and regular late nights and weekend work would be off the table for her for quite awhile."

"Only for awhile though?"

"We manage to work most parents rosters to manage their children. It's part of the job, but Arizona has been more stubborn than most in maintaining hours that let her be home with the kids. As is completely understandable in the circumstances. And I believe, the one time she had to stay late, her mother took the children. Like most parents who work at the hospital, or work at all, she has a back up system."

The state attorney didn't have any further questions.

Scott called in Tanya, the co-ordinator of the day care.

"We miss Toby, at the day care. He's got a little network of friends. All the kids there are there full time, five days a week. We have them all in a routine, they get to socialise and the biggest bonus is that the parents, or guardians," Tanya beamed at Arizona, who couldn't help but smile back, the woman was like a gerbil on ecstasy, "Are right there in the building, so visit during the day, something a lot of parents without provided daycare miss out on."

Scott smiled at her, "And Doctor Robbins was there regularly?"

Tanya laughed, "At first she was popping in constantly. We finally managed to reassure her that Toby was settling in fine, and she was visiting more like two or three times a day, shifts permitting."

"How did Toby react to her visits?"

"With absolute delight. He adores her."

Arizona felt a tug in her chest. She missed him, and Ella, so much.

"And he was adjusting fine? Considering before this, he had been at home with his mom?"

Tanya nodded, "Oh, he took some adjusting, though I think a lot of that wasn't just because he wasn't at home, but because of his loss. He was quite clingy with Doctor Robbins at first, but this slowly settled to normal behaviour." She paused for a second, then quickly added something, "Lots of these kids come in to day care, after being at home with their mothers for up two two years? Parents coming back from maternity leave and so forth. They all settle in, make friends, get to see their parents. Day care isn't a negative experience."

Scott smiled at her and the state attorney again, had no questions.

And then Teddy was called.

Arizona couldnt help but grin at her. She had her 'armyness' on, all calm and collected.

Teddy outlined how they had met and become friends. Scott, obviously deciding to beat the state attorney to it, asked the nature of their relationship.

Teddy's eyebrow raised, "She's my best friend."

Arizona smiled when Teddy caught her eye.

"Can you elaborate?"

"Arizona and I met at work and bonded over mutual loss. I lost my husband about eight months ago now, and she had just lost her brother and sister in law, plus gone through massive life changes with taking on the kids. We supported each other."

Scott nodded, "How regularly were you and Doctor Robbins seeing each other, out side of work?"

"Three, maybe four times a week."

"And you'd go out?"

Teddy shook her head, "No. Mostly, we would be at Arizona's house, with the kids."

"So Doctor Robbins wasn't floating off on her social life to the detriment of the kids?"

Teddy actually laughed, "God, no. It's getting her to take a break that's the problem."

Arizona resisted the urge to roll her eyes.

"Did you get along with Ella and Toby?"

"A lot. I really miss them, actually."

"And I'm sorry, Doctor Altman, I just have to ask blatantly, to save the state attorney the question-have you ever been romantically linked with Doctor Robbins?"

If the situation wasn't so serious Arizona was sure Teddy would have laughed, "No, I've not. I'm straight, if that's important for everyone to know."

Scott nodded, "Nothing further, thank you Doctor Altman."

The state attorney stood, "I just have on record, and it will be asked again with the witness is bought forward, that you've been seen leaving the property at the early hours of the morning. Has there really never been any romantic link? I'm sorry, Doctor Altman, but this is part of the complaints and we need to ask. Uh-again."

Teddy actually looked pissed, "Who's spying on the house at five am? That's creepy."

The judge cleared his throat and looked at her.

Teddy quickly went back to the question, "No, there has never been anything more than friendship between Doctor Robbins and I. I sometimes stay the night, downstairs, on the couch, on the once or twice I've babysat or because I don't like to be in my dead husbands home. Arizona is nice enough to take me in and give me somewhere to stay."

Obviously not wanting to go down the deceased husband route, the attorney pried further elsewhere, "So you babysit, as well? Does Doctor Robbins regularly leave the children in your care?"

"Why, do you think a cardiothoracic surgeon with a military defense history, basically a Medic GI Jane, isn't someone a responsible adult would leave two children with for a few hours?"

The judge actually smothered a laugh with a fake cough.

"Just answer the question, please, Doctor Altman."

"Twice, I have babysat the kids on a Friday or a Saturday night, for about four or five hours each time. Arizona always has Toby settled and in bed, and I hang out with Ella, who is seven, and between us, the two of us manage not to get in to a lot of trouble besides eating too much ice cream."

Arizona loved Teddy more than ever, and she's fairly certain the Judge was covering a smirk again.

"Only twice?"

"Only twice, in the last couple of months."

"For work?"

Teddy sighed, "No, Arizona went on two dates."

"With a Calliope Torres?"

"Yes."

"What is the nature of this relationship?"

Scott stood up, "Your honor, that's not for this woman to proclaim. Doctor Torres is next to be called, and Doctor Altman is here as a character reference only, and to clear up her own links to Doctor Robbins."

The state attorney interrupted, "Your honour, Doctor Robbins 'sexual promiscuity' has been raised in the issues put forth to child protective services, if we can clear some of the questions up now, I figured why not?"

Arizona couldn't shake the vibe that the guy was actually on her side.

Teddy was looking from one lawyer to another and to the judge. The judge nodded to the state attorney, "Continue."

Scott sat back down.

"Right, again, what is the nature of their relationship?"

"As far as I am aware, they're dating."

"How long has that been going on?"

Scott stood up again, "These are still questions for Doctor Torres and Doctor Robbins."

The judge nodded, "Stick to questions from an outsider view, please."

The attorney nodded, taking it in his stride, "Have you seen Doctor Robbins dating various people?"

Teddy shook her head, "No, just Callie." She paused, "Um, Doctor Torres."

"And does she regularly see her, that you are aware?"

"They see each other when they can, but Arizona has always, to Callie, to me and to work, made it very clear that the kids come first."

"Can you give me an example of this?"

"I had to talk her in to it being okay to date Callie at all. I had to talk her in to letting me babysit for them so she could have a break, and go out with Callie. I had to remind her that she is still allowed a life, to date, even if she has the kids under her care."

"She was reluctant?"

"Very. She didn't ever want the kids to question their place in her life-and that's a direct quote, by the way. When the kids got taken-" Teddy hesitated and looked at Arizona, who nodded, "When the kids got taken, Arizona broke it off with Callie because she thought it may help. Considering the allegations, I think she thought her relationship was playing a role in having the kids removed."

"But they're together again?"

Teddy grinned, "I talked sense in to her."

The state attorney nodded, "Thank you, Doctor Altman."

Teddy stood up, allowed to leave.

Arizona caught her eye as she walked out and they smiled at each other.

Callie walked in, looking more nervous than Teddy had. She took her seat and made the oath, then looked at Arizona and Arizona smiled at her, Callie smiling nervously back.

Scott approached her, starting the questions after the initial introduction and run down. "Can you tell us, in your own words, the nature of your relationship with Doctor Robbins?"

Callie gave a nod, "We're together. We're dating-we're girlfriends."

Arizona bit her lip. Callie was really nervous. She actually looked kind of clammy.

Scott nodded, "How long have you been dating?"

Callie thought, "We've been seeing each other about two months. It's been, uh, very slow."

"Why's that?"

"When we met, Arizona had only just taken on the kids. She didn't want to rush in to anything, the kids were her priority."

"How exactly did she put it?"

Callie gave a small smile, "'The kids are my priority.'"

Scott grinned, "And you were okay with this?"

Callie nodded, "There was no reason to rush it, and I could understand where she was coming from. I slowly met the kids, and would have dinner sometimes, hang out with them."

"You get along with them?"

"Ella and I got along instantly. Toby though, he warmed up, he likes to get a grip on people. Now he's on me like a rash."

"Do they know the nature of your relationship?"

"Um-we hadn't gotten to talking to them about it. That was actually, what we had just talked about doing, right before this. I never stayed over, because we didn't want to confuse Ella. And Arizona repeatedly said she didn't want the kids to think they weren't her number one priority."

"Does she prioritise the kids over your relationship?"

Arizona flinched, that wasn't an easy thing to put forward, considering usually your other half is supposed to be your number one.

Callie, however, didn't even hesitate, "Of course she did. She still does. She prioritises the kids over anything. Arizona has always thought of the kids first, in everything she does."

"And you support that?"

"I don't think I could feel the way I do about her if she didn't. It's amazing, the bond the three of them have."

Arizona felt warm inside, listening to Callie say this. It also made her realise, even more, how wrong she'd been in her actions a few days ago.

The state attorney stood up, "How often were you seeing Doctor Robbins?"

"Almost every day. We work together."

"Out side of work?"

"It would depend on my hours, or hers, but anything from twice to four times a week. She liked to spend one on one time with the kids."

"And you hadn't spoken about the nature of your relationship with the kids?"

"No. We were talking about doing that, but hadn't gotten there."

"And Ella never guessed? You weren't overtly affectionate in front of her?"

"Not overtly, no. From what I know though, Ella's parents had explained that Arizona dates women to her already, as Arizona had a long term partner the kids had met before. I think she's at an age where she doesn't think in terms of things like that, she just liked to hang out and watch movies and play games with us all."

"Thank you."

The state attorney looked like he may stand to ask some questions, then seemed to change his mind, sitting back down.

Callie got shakily down and threw Arizona a smile

Barbara was up next and raved, for so long the attorneys had to interrupt her, about how good Arizona was with the kids.

Her mother would always fight for her.

And then, Daniel was called up.

Arizona watched him be sworn in, introduce himself to the court.

"How much do you see Arizona and the kids?"

Daniel looked down before answering, "Not very often. The kids have the odd sleep over with us, it's something they've always done, since Ella was a baby, and I see them then."

"Were you surprised when Doctor Robbins got guardianship?"

"My son had spoken to us about it already."

"Do you think she's suited to it?"

Daniel hesitated, "I didn't."

Arizona looked up sharply. Her father was still looking down towards the ground. The judge had his eyes on him and Arizona felt her heart thumping in her chest.

Daniel cleared his throat, "I was a Colonel in the USS Marine Corp. This may sound like a strange statement, but I didn't think I'd raise a lesbian daughter. Yet I did." He gave a small smile, "She's actually exactly the person I raised her to be-I learned quickly that who she was dating had nothing to do with that. Both my children were good people." He paused, and Arizona just wished he'd look at her, "Being who I raised her to be, she was career driven, brilliant at her job. She and her brother were fiercely close, and incredibly loyal to each other. I think she was very good with the women." Her mouth dropped open slightly. They were in court and her father was saying _that_. That was not helpful. "Then Tim-and Sally. Well, I dropped off the face of the Earth. Arizona, she looks so much like him. And Toby, he does, too. Losing a son so young, it takes a part of a man away. Everyone that reminds you of him just hurts. I, uh, I disappeared on my family."

He looked up, and for the first time since Tim died, looked Arizona in the eye. They held each others gaze, and she felt her heart break for the grief she still saw in his eyes.

"I disappeared." He nodded, "But she didn't." He turned and spoke to the Judge directly, "Arizona stepped up. I don't think she planned on having kids, but my son, her brother, asked it of her and here she is, fighting tooth and nail for them. Losing their parents could have destroyed those two kids. I'm sure it's altered them, of course. But destroyed? Arizona's held them together. She's held my wife together when I all but left her to her grief. And through it all, she held herself together, for those two kids. She's the best thing to happen not only to my grandchildren, but to this entire family."

Silence rang around the court room for a moment.

"Uh-Thankyou, Colonel Robbins. That's all."

The state attorney shook his head when the Judge looked at him.

Arizona could barely swallow past the lump in her throat.

Her father walked down the side and Arizona couldn't help her self. She stood up and walked towards him, wrapping her arms around him and burying her face in his chest. She felt him hesitate, fairly certain the last time he had hugged her had been when she left for college, and then felt his arms wrap around her, tight over her shoulder blades.

She pulled back and he had a hand on each of her shoulders. He nodded at her, and Arizona quickly slipped back to her seat.

Scott glared at her, but without any effort behind it and the Judge pretended to be looking down at his papers and acting like he hadn't noticed someone standing up in the middle of court proceedings.

"Right. I think we'll take a ten minute recess and then get back to it."

They stood as he walked out and Arizona turned to Scott, "How are we going?"

"Good. We just have to see what Cathy and Lorna have to say."

"The judge we got? Is he a good one?"

Scott shrugged, "He's an incredibly religious man, but he highly respects the law. We could have done a lot worse."

Religion made her nervous.

"Can I talk to the others?"

"They've all been called, so yes. Just be back here in five minutes. We wont be calling you, unless the state attorney has questions for you, or the judge has specific questions for you."

Arizona nodded, mind already on seeing the others.

She walked out and was quickly hit with the rocket that is her mother, arms wrapped tight around her, "Did I do okay? Oh, I was so nervous, I don't even remember it now, it's a blur."

Arizona pressed her face in to her mothers neck, "You did great, Mom, thank you."

She pulled back, "Where dad?"

Barbara rolled her eyes, "He left, home, said he had business."

Of course he did.

Arizona looked up to see a very pale Callie. She walked over to her, finger tips brushing the back of her hand, "Are you okay?"

"Um. I am."

"She threw up. Twice." Barbara raised her eyebrows at her.

Arizona whipped her head around, "You threw up? Callie! Go home, are you're sick? You don't have to stay?"

"I, um, I'm not sick. I hate public speaking. It makes me throw up."

"Why didn't you say anything?"

"Because it wasn't about me."

Arizona looked at her then, eyes soft. She smiled, leaning forward and lowering her voice, "If we weren't here I'd be showing you just how much you mean to me."

Callie gave her a shaky smile, voice low, "Even though I'm pukey?"

Arizona gave a nod, "I'd help you in the shower first."

Just as Callie started to grin, Barbara's voice cut in, "I'm right here, you know, you aren't talking very quietly."

They both stood up, red in the cheek.

"I have to get back-where's Teddy?"

"She got called in to work, she said to call her as soon we know."

"Oh-funny side note. When Teddy was referenced in court the judge thought they meant a teddy bear."

Both Barbara and Callie put their hands over their mouths, smothering a laugh.

"Teddy will just _love that."_

Arizona smiled at that.

"Okay, I'm going in." Arizona looked from Callie to Barbara, "See you on the other side."

Arizona started to walk back in, turning to look at the one more time. Barbara had her hands held to her mouth and Callie had one arm around her shoulders.

Barbara waved, "You've got this!"

Arizona smiled and walked in.

Lorna and Cathy's turn.

And then, hopefully, they'd know.

The Judge was called back in and they sat back down, Lorna called to the stand.

The state attorney rose and started questioning.

"Lorna, you've worked for the department of child services for how long?"

"Eight years."

"And you've been on the Robbins case from the start?"

"Yes."

"Did you have any initial concerns?"

"Not really, no. It was very straight forward-a guardian had been allocated. Doctor Robbins accepted taking on the kids. It was mostly paperwork and routine follow up visits."

"Did you have any concerns raised at any of your visits?"

"No. The kids were adjusting as well as could be expected, Doctor Robbins seemed to be juggling Toby and Ella and work. She had moved states to take the kids on, and she herself seemed fairly settled. I spoke to the school councillor about Ella, and no red flags were raised."

"Why did the investigation take place?"

"We had concerns raised by the children's maternal grandmother. She originally just felt they weren't receiving the attention they deserved. I popped in for an extra visit, talked to her mother, but to be honest, I couldn't see any issues."

"So you were still not concerned?"

"Not at all. The kids appeared on the way to healing, as well as they could be expected to be."

"Ella broke her arm, yes?"

"Yes, early on, at the park, there were witnesses, there were no concerns about this."

"So when the complaint was officially lodged, it had nothing to do with the broken arm?"

"No. That wasn't even mentioned, in fact, I'm not even sure if the grandmother had been aware of it."

"So what were the concerns put forth?"

"Sexual promiscuity in front of the kids, neglect-she felt the kids were being 'dumped' regularly with other people and that Doctor Robbins was prioritising her work and romantic life over the kids. Unfortunately, the second the neglect word was dropped, our department was forced to investigate."

"And during the investigation?"

"Still no concerns were raised by anyone but the maternal grandmother. The character references today coincide with our investigations-it would appear that Doctor Robbins has done nothing but ensure Ella and Toby are in a supportive environment, and that she meets all their needs."

"Thank you."

Lorna nodded and Scott rose.

"What would your recommendation to the court be?"

"I believe these kids need to be back in their home, in a stable environment. I think Doctor Robbins is the best person to be providing that."

Scott smiled at her, "Thank you."

Lorna went back her seat.

And then, Cathy was called by the state attorney.

Arizona felt her fingers grip in to her knee as the woman walked down the aisle, accompanied by a bailiff. She was dressed like a presidents wife, a day suit on, pearls at her throat, a silver cross hanging from the centre.

She was sworn in and the state attorney started.

After introducing who she was, the questions commenced.

"Mrs Larsen, you've petitioned the court for guardianship, is this correct?"

"Yes."

"Was this before or after you lodged your concerns with the department?"

"Before."

"What drove you to lodge for guardianship, considering the parents wishes had been for guardianship to go to Doctor Robbins?"

"My concerns were always present. She has no children of her own, what can she know about raising two young children? She has always appeared focused on her career and relationships, never on settling down. Then I visited one day, and was appalled to find out Toby was in daycare during the week when he should be home, and she was working full time!"

"Understood. And you were concerned enough to lodge a complaint?"

Cathy shifted uncomfortably in her chair, "I was concerned she was not doing well by the children, and then not only this, but Toby was with his other grandmother that day, a Friday, while Arizona had clearly _slept_ late and was entertaining her," She struggled with the word, "girlfriend in the house."

"Is this when you lodged the complaint?"

"I lodged a concern. I didn't know for certain, though I could see the children were not getting the attention they deserved, and she was clearly still focused on her career and conquests, rather than the kids."

Arizona stiffened in the chair and Scott whispered out the side of his mouth, "Breathe."

She tried.

"So what led to you to lodge the neglect complaint?"

Cathy pursed her lips, "I kept an eye on them, after that. There were two, _two_ separate women I saw coming out of the house at various times of the evening and early hours of the morning, no way to influence a child. Imagine showing that that kind of thing is _normal_? Not only this, but Arizona was working full time, when Sally had been home with this kids. Some nights she got home later than others. I went by one evening to drop off a present for the kids and no one answered the door. I was concerned-where would someone with an eighteen month old and a seven year old be at seven in the evening? Giving them the benefit of the doubt, I stayed to see if they would get in so I could give them the present. I gave up after midnight. It was then, that realised I needed to get these children out of this destructive environment."

The state attorney nodded, "Okay. Thank you."

He sat down, an odd look on his face.

Scott stood up, and Arizona sat up straighter.

"Mrs Larsen," He smiled at her, and she frowned at him, "Were you ever concerned Ella or Toby were not been fed? Clothed? Housed? Sent to school?"

She pursed her lips again, and it surprised Arizona, how she could go from looking like Sally to looking like a completely different person, "No. But-"

"Did you ever think they were being starved? Abused?"

"They are being abused! That woman lives in sin, and she is perpetrating to _my_ grandchildren that it is okay and _normal_ to live that lifestyle."

"It's not illegal to be gay in the United States, Mrs Larsen. Nor does it mean you can't parent. I'll ask in a different manner-did you ever think they were being hit? Yelled at? Black mailed?"

She glared at him, "No."

Arizona looked at the judge. He was watching Cathy with a dark expression on his face.

He cleared his throat, "One moment, councilor." And then he was looking at Arizona, "Doctor Robbins, if you don't mind me asking, this evening Mrs Larsen was at the house and you nor the kids were home, where were the children?"

"Uh-" Arizona was surprised at being asked a question straight out, "having a sleep over with my mother. Ella had specifically asked if they could, it was something they used to do regularly when my brother was alive."

"And the other day she came over, when Toby was at his grandmothers?"

"That was the one night I'd had to work late. We were stuck at work until three am. My mother had taken the kids."

"And in two entire months, it was the only time you agreed to work late?"

Arizona nodded, "A truck had hit a school bus, being a paediatric surgeon, I couldn't leave."

"I saw that on the news, a tragedy. Though I also heard your hospital didn't lose a single child."

Arizona nodded again, "They're all doing well."

The judge eyed her for a second, then said, "Thank you for answering."

Cathy piped up, "And where were you, afterwards? Using the advantage to instantly be with a woman? And the other night you were out, was it even one of the two you're already stringing along, then?"

Arizona widened her eyes.

The judge cleared his throat again and everyone looked to him, "You will stick to answering questions, thank you. If the children were safe and looked after that evening, I have no concern what Doctor Robbins was doing with her free time."

Cathy looked like she had sucked on a lemon.

"Those children deserve to be raised by god fearing, Christian parents. My daughter had already gone so wrong, and now here we are, an opportunity to raise them as they should be, not in sin, but-"

"Please stick to the questions, Mrs Larsen."

Arizona had a slight, awkward crush on the judge.

Scott smiled benignly at Cathy again.

"No further questions."

He sat back down.

Cathy, unable to contain herself, spoke again, "You are a Cristian man, I can tell. How can you want to put these children back in to her care? The law needs-"

The judge had had enough, "The law is as I see fit, in my court room, thank you, Mrs Larsen. And I'll have you not lecture me on Christianity, either. The question in this court today is of the allegations of neglect directed at Doctor Robbins in regards to Ella and Toby Robbins. From the evidence put forth today, I see absolutely no sign of neglect or abuse. In fact, the only thing I can think of as harming them, is removing them from what was obviously a stable and loving environment to be placed in foster care to investigate what are obviously nuisance claims put forward by a woman with her own vendetta. All occurring after those children have already suffered a horrible tragedy." He paused, sitting up straighter, "Sexual orientation plays no role in someone being fit to raise children in this court. If I see you in my court again, Mrs Larsen, without genuine proof, I'll be having you arrested for false allegations and for purely wasting my time. I hereby put forward that one Arizona Robbins will have temporary custody of both Ella and Toby Robbins until the permanent guardianship hearing in one months time. However, these court proceedings will be going on record and I wish anyone luck contesting the wish of the biological parents and of this court."

The judge stood, looking across the room to Arizona, "Good luck, Doctor Robbins. You're going to have your hands full with those two young kids and a full time job. It's refreshing to see someone with such an excellent support network, and so committed to doing what is best for the children in your care."

And with that he swept off and Arizona was left staring at his empty chair.

Scott, having stood the second the Judge did, looked down to Arizona, beaming.

"We won."

Arizona looked up at him, a smile slowly forming on her face, "We won?"

"We won!"

She stood up and hugged him, "Thank you!"

Then she was turning and walking down the aisle as fast as she could, pulling the door open, joy flooding her chest and seeing her mother standing watching the door as if willing it to burst open with news.

Which, coincidentally, it just did.

Barbara blinked and a grin grew over her face as Arizona powered towards her.

"We won?"

Arizona was nodding even as she pulled her mother in to a hug, "We won, Mom."

And she felt it then, a sob, escaping her chest, sheer relief finally making her crack. She pulled back and saw her mother beaming at her, looking over her shoulder to see Callie walking towards them, three coffees in a carrier tray in her hand, a hesitant smile on her face as she took in the site in front of her.

Stepping back from her mother, Arizona walked towards Callie, smiling wide enough to burst even as tears streaked her cheeks. She felt ridiculous, but it was if all the tense, shut down emotion of the last six days had finally been allowed to burst.

Callie's smile grew and Arizona threw her arms around her, Callie's wrapping around her as Barbara rescued the coffee. Callie's lips were pressed against her ear.

"You get them back?"

Arizona nodded and Callie picked her up, swinging her around, both laughing even as Arizona's let out another half sob. Callie set her back on her feet, and Arizona squeezed her tighter.

"They're coming back?" She needed to hear someone else say it.

Callie nodded, laughing again, her face pressed tight against Arizona's, "They are!"

Arizona pressed her lips against Callie's, a delighted laugh escaping her lips, "I love you, Callie."

She felt Callie's grip slacken in surprise, then tighten around her, her breath hot against her neck, "Good, because I'm pretty in love with you, too."

Arizona grinned against the soft curve where Callie's neck met her shoulder.

It was probably the most absurd place to say it, in a court house with her mother a few metres away.

But it was also the perfect place.

"Arizona?"

Arizona, remembering where they were, pulled back, letting go of Callie, yet still holding her hand. She turned and saw Lorna.

"Lorna." Arizona smiled at her, swiping a hand over her cheeks. She was not used to tears in public, "Hi. Thank you."

Lorna shook her head, smiling, "No, don't be silly. Everything I said was true. Just-I can pick them up and get them to you anytime?"

"Now?"

Lorna laughed, "Now is good. Are you headed home? I'll drop them there."

Arizona nodded, "We'll go home now."

Lorna smiled, "I'll see you very soon."

She turned to go, Arizona turning back to Callie and Barbara, "Oh, and Arizona?"

Arizona turned, "Yeah?"

"Congratulations."

Arizona, beaming, replied, "Thank you."

Cathy walked out behind Lorna then. She kept her eyes straight ahead, handbag clasped to her side as she marched down the corridor and left the building.

Lorna winked at her, "I'll see you soon."

Callie and Arizona, hands still clasped, joined by Barbara, started walking out of the building.

"What about the other hearing?" Barbara was still smiling, though had just remembered.

Arizona gave a slight shrug, "It's on in a month. But, uh, it sounds like the chances are good I'll be keeping them." Arizona took a deep breath, "I just want to enjoy the fact that I'm about to see them again."

Callie squeezed her hand.

"Did I see coffee, Mom?"

"Uh-"

Callie turned to look at Barbara as they were walking, "Oh, yeah, you took them-can I have one?"

"Um."

"Mom?"

"Well, I was excited, and you two were having a moment."

"You drank them!?"

Barbara shrugged, "I had to do something, the excitement was overwhelming!"

Callie laughed, "That was three double shot coffees!"

"I do kind of feel like I'm about to crawl out of my skin."

Arizona shook her head, climbing in to the passenger seat as Callie took the back, Barbara starting the engine.

"I'm not surprised."

"Arizona."

Arizona turned to look at Barbara, "Yeah?"

"You're about to see the kids."

She nodded, suddenly more serious, "I know."

Callie leaned forward, hand resting on Arizona's shoulder.

They drove quietly, Barbara tapping a pattern on the steering wheel with her thumb, fidgeting uncontrollably, and both Callie and Arizona pretending not to notice.

Arizona looked down to her phone and finally gave a laugh.

Teddy.

_A freaking Teddy Bear!? Seriously?!_

"You talk to Teddy by any chance?"

Callie smirked in the back, "I may have called her."

Arizona tapped out a reply.

_That's your official name, now. I'll be sure to tell the kids to call you back-because WE WON and I am on my way to see them!_

They pulled up and Arizona hid send before climbing out of the care and sitting down on the front step, Callie sitting next to her.

Barbara stood for a minute, bouncing from foot to foot.

"Oh, good God, I have to pee."

Arizona and Callie turned and watched her walk in to the house.

"Serves her right for drinking our coffees."

Arizona turned her head and smiled at Callie, "They're coming back."

Callie nodded, "On their way now, in fact."

Arizona nodded and looked back to the road.

"Are you okay?"

Arizona shrugged, "I am."

"Really?"

"I'm-I'm so excited to see them. Just-are they going to be okay?"

Callie took her hand, pulling it on to her lap, "They won't be, completely. But they'll be back with you, and they'll slowly be okay." Callie leant forward and nuzzled Arizona's neck with her nose, "They weren't okay when you came here, but you helped them, then. It'll be okay."

Arizona let out a slow breath and nodded.

A car turned on to the street, silver and new.

Her hand tightened on Callie's, "Callie."

Callie was grinning.

She pushed Arizona up off the step as the car pulled up, staying seated.

Arizona stood, eyes glued to the car.

And then, Ella had turned her head in the back seat, eyes wide. She saw her mouth drop open and her hand press to the glass for a second. Before she knew what had happened, the door pushed open and Ella was flying over the grass in a pink conversed blur. Arizona squatted down and Ella hit her at full force, arms and legs wrapped around her so tight Arizona fell backwards, sitting on the grass and not caring that the damp ground was soaking through her skirt. Ella's fingers were digging in to her back and all Arizona could do was hold her as tight as humanly possible.

She heard a hiccup, then a sob, and she held her tighter, strawberry blonde hair pressed into her face as Arizona gripped the little girl with everything she had.

Then she heard it, a sound that made her face split in to a huge grin and give a sob again, and she looked up from Ella's neck.

"Na!"

A tiny Toby was fighting to get out of a smiling Lorna's arms. Lorna let him slide to the ground and he was grinning so hard his dimples showed, delighted to see her. He ran at her, tripped and fell like he did almost every day when he got too excited and ran, pulled himself back up, still grinning and then he was in her arms, as well, half climbing her and Ella to be closer.

And Ella finally pulled back, hands grasping Arizona's cheeks as she stared at he, almost nose to nose. Her green eyes were bright, and she looked at Arizona intently.

"Hey, Ella Bella."

"Aunty Na." Ella swallowed heavily, smiling slightly, finally, cheeks damp, "Can we have pancakes for dinner?"

Arizona couldn't help but laugh.

#


	24. Chapter 24

**Title: **Changes  
**Author: **gabs88  
**Pairing: **Callie/Arizona  
**Summary: **When Arizona's brother dies in a car crash with his wife, she is named guardian of his two children. What does this mean for the life of someone who never wanted her own kids, let alone anyone elses?  
**Rating: **M.  
**Disclaimer: **All characters belong to ABC/Shonda Rhimes.  
**Authors note: **Again, thank you guys-all your feedback and notifications are awesome :). Everyone's so motivating.

**Changes  
Chapter Twenty Four**

Feet up on the coffee table, leaned deep in to the back of the couch, Arizona felt herself at ease for the first time in a week.

Her hand rubbed slow circles on Toby's back, who was fast asleep on his stomach, face against her collar bone and legs either side of her waist. She knows she should have taken him up to his bed, but he had been incredibly clingy since getting back, and if she was honest, she was feeling pretty clingy herself. He smelt of baby shampoo and he was warm against her chest, his breathing deep and even.

Ella was pressed tight in to her side, Arizona's other arm wrapped around her, hand holding her in against her. They had Aladdin turned down low, Ella only half watching as her hand clung to Arizona's.

Barbara had stayed for a half hour, hugging the kids and then going home, telling Arizona that she had spent that Thursday with them and Arizona needed to get them settled, and she'd see them the next day.

Callie had gone home a few hours earlier, hanging out with them for an hour or two before running her hand along Arizona's arm and heading out. She whispered in Arizona's ear that they'd talk later, and Arizona needed to have some one on one time with the kids.

Toby had barely noticed her leave, clinging on to Arizona's hip. Ella had been on Callie's lap and looked at her with big eyes, "Are you coming back, Doctor Callie?"

Callie had looked to Arizona, then back to Ella, nodding and smiling, "I will be seeing you oh so soon, honey."

Ella was mostly quiet.

And that was okay.

Arizona knew quiet, she got it. She especially got it with her niece, because unfortunately, everyone was right in saying they were similar. She'd seen it the weeks after her brother passed away, the first few months, really. And she'd been concerned, but had let it play out, understanding more than anyone what Ella was doing. The councilor at school hadn't been too concerned, so Arizona had left it. And slowly, ever so slowly, Ella had reacted and lashed out and responded and started, she had hoped, to heal.

Arizona still had to swallow down her anger that Cathy had done this to them. Whatever her motivations, it had been damaging, to all of them, but Arizona worried especially for Ella. She had lost both her parents and then had her Aunty move in and her whole life altered.

And then, just as she was settling, oh so slowly, she'd had that torn out from under her.

So Ella was quiet.

And Arizona was letting her be, tonight.

But she also wanted her to talk to her, so Arizona could reassure her and let her know that Arizona wanted them, she wanted them more than she had ever even realised.

The look on Ella's face when she asked, "Don't you want us?" still haunted her.

Because, God, this little girl was going to have some abandonment issues if she didn't realise that, of course, Arizona wanted her.

However, tonight wasn't the night for that.

Arizona was soaking up the joy that she had them back, that the kids were delighted to be back. Toby was clingy, but she was sure that would settle; and like she'd acknowledged, she was kind of clingy herself at the moment. Ella was quiet, contemplative but she'd talk to her soon enough and hopefully, they'd all start to move past this.

She stilled her hand with it cupping the back of Toby's head, the silky soft strands of his blond hair in her hands. It had started to have a slight curl in it the last few months, just as Tim's had. She tugged her arm tighter, hugging Ella against her and she heard a small giggle.

"Why you laughing, Ella Bella?" she talked softly, mindful of sleeping Toby.

Ella gave a shrug under her, "You were squeezing me."

"Because I don't want to let you go, that's why."

Ella was quiet.

Arizona didn't push it, then. But she would need to, soon. She just pulled her in tighter to her still, and wiggled her fingers, tickling her gently and causing her to giggle again. Ella settled back in to Arizona, and Arizona rest her cheek against her head, dropping a kiss on top of it first.

There was no where else she would rather be, right then.

####

Arizona woke up with a hand in on her face and a small foot digging in to her stomach. Opening her eyes, she smiled softly as she saw Ella sprawled on her back, arms and legs thrown out and strawberry blonde hair a cloud around her head. Her face was relaxed in sleep, somehow making her seem younger.

She'd put Toby down in his crib last night, watching to make sure he settled in okay. Ella, who she had sent to brush her teeth, had apparently done the quickest job of it ever, because Arizona had walked in to her room and and found Ella curled up in it. Not saying anything, Arizona had crawled in beside her and wrapped her arms around her, pulling her in to her front. She hadn't fallen asleep until she heard Ella's breathing even out.

And then, apparently, the little seven year old had completely taken over her bed.

Rolling over, Arizona reached for her phone, smiling at seeing a message from both Callie and Teddy.

_Callie_

_First night back with them-you must be ecstatic. Still want to hang out today?It's okay if you want one on one time with them x  
PS Even though it's totally okay, I missed you last night :)_

Arizona smiled and wrote a quick reply, adding a photo of Ella completely sprawled out over her and the bed.

_So happy to have them back. Woke up with Ella like this. Park this afternoon? I'll ask Teddy and Mum. You finish at three this afternoon? Say four?  
And I missed you, too_

She opened the one for Teddy.

_When can I see them? When can I see them? When can I see them? When can I see them? _

There was a second one from her, too.

_Seriously, when can I see them? _

She laughed quietly.

_Park at four? Meet here and we'll all head over?_

The reply was almost instant.

_Yay!_

A message came through from Callie straight after that.

_That sounds like the best of plans. Can't wait to see you and the kids again :)_

Arizona was filled with warm fuzzy feelings.

She put her phone back down after texting her Mom about the park and rolled over to see Ella watching her with sleepy eyes.

"Heya, Ella Bella."

She lay back down and Ella blinked at her, "Hi."

She snuggled in to Arizona's front and Arizona wrapped her up in her arms.

She kissed the top of her head, "I missed you Ella Bella."

Ella seemed to shake her head slightly against her neck.

"I did."

While Arizona wanted to let Ella process on her own, she wasn't going to leave her stewing on whatever was going on in her head that whole time, without making sure she was at least starting to understand that what had happened was out of Arizona's hands and that Arizona wanted nothing more than to have her and Toby her, with her. She let it go last night, let her process, but she couldn't leave it, even if Ella didn't want to hear it.

Then Ella opened her mouth and whispered something, making Arizona's heart break.

"Why didn't you come find us then?"

Her voice was small and Arizona closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She wrapped her arms tighter around Ella.

"Honey, I wanted to."

Ella shook her head again.

"I did." She didn't know how to explain this to a seven year old, "Ella? You know when you get in to trouble at school?"

"I don't get in to trouble."

Arizona chuckled.

"Okay, you know when other kids get in to trouble? And there is all this stuff the teachers have to do? Like tell their big boss, the principal? And then the teachers send the kid there? And then the principal has to tell the kids parents? And then have to wait for the parents to come in so they can all talk, and the kid has to wait in the hallway?"

This was making no sense, but Ella nodded.

"Well, you got taken by people who had to make sure I was looking after you properly. And to get you back, I had to wait for those people to talk to their boss-he was called a Judge, though, not a principal. And I had to sit outside until I could find out what they said." She sighed, hand on the back of Ella's head, "Does that make sense?"

Ella half shrugged in her arms.

Arizona pushed her back gently and looked at her, seeing Ella's face was all pinched from trying not to cry. Arizona felt herself well up, swallowing past a lump in her throat to see Ella looking so torn up, "If it were up to me, I would have pulled you out of the car when Lorna came that night. All I was doing while you were gone was fighting with all the people trying to get you back. I love you, Ella Bella, you and Toby and I all belong together." She looked at Ella, who had finally given a hiccup and started to cry silently, staring in to Arizona's eyes.

"Oh, honey." Arizona wrapped her back up and pulled her right in to her, her own eyes welled up, as Ella came undone in her arms. The little girl sobbed, and Arizona had no more words to give her. Instead, she rubbed her back and soothed her hair and held her as tightly as she could.

They lay for awhile, Ellas hiccups slowly fading, her breathing evening out. Her fingers were clenched in Arizon's tank top and, eventually, they relaxed. Arizona felt the front of her shirt was wet, and Ella sniffled, rubbing her nose against the material.

"You okay?"

Ella nodded her head, still pressed against Arizona.

Ella pulled back on her own this time, Arizona not wanting to rush her through this. Her cheeks were flushed and damp, and her eye searched Arizona's face.

"You cried, too?"

Arizona smiled at her and nodded.

Ella scrunched her eyebrows up, "I don't like that you cried."

Arizona gave a low chuckle, "I don't like you crying, either, because I don't like you being sad. But some of it's happy tears, Ella. I got you and Toby back."

"But you smile when you're happy."

"Sometimes your body gets confused. I'm smiling now, though."

Ella, slowly, smiled, too. Her green eyes lit up and Arizona's chest ached with how much she looked like Sally.

Arizona's smile grew to a grin, "And now you are."

She leant forward, quickly, and blew a raspberry against Ella's neck, who laughed and tried to squirm away. Arizona blew against her neck again several times before Ella finally squirmed right back.

"Aunty Na! Stop it!"

"Nope!"

"Please!"

"Never!"

"Aunty Na!"

"Fiiine."

She stopped raspberrying Ella, who flopped back dramatically on the bed, breathless and grinning.

"Can we have pancakes now? We didn't last night."

Arizona laughed, "Sure."

They both turned their heads to the door as they heard, "Na!"

Ella looked at Arizona, "Toby's up."

Arizona looked serious, "Okay. Plan of attack. We get Toby up, eat pancakes. Go do some grocery shopping. Go to the library and get you some new books. Come home for Toby to nap and us to read the books. Then-" She paused for emphasis, "Teddy, Callie and Nana are coming over and we are going to go to the park."

Ella's eyes lit up and she sat up on the bed, bouncing, "Really?"

"Really." Arizona sat up, "So, you go get Toby and make pancakes, and I'll wait here for breakfast in bed,"

Ella rolled her eyes, "I can't do _either_ of those things."

Arizona made face, half smiling "Okay. Fine. You go get the things out of the cupboard we need and _I'll_ get Toby."

Ella was already bouncing off the bed and out the door, "Okay!"

"Na!"

Toby was sounding more insistent.

"Coming Tobes!"

She rolled out of bed and padded down the hallway, pushing Toby's door open and grinning at Toby. He was standing up, looking sleepily around his room, hair sticking every which way. His face lit up in a grin as she walked in, and he held his arms up, half crawling on to her, his face burying in her neck.

Wow, had she missed morning cuddles with Toby.

She hugged him in tight, rubbing his back and swaying with him slightly. His blue blanket was gripped in close between their bodies and his other hand gripped her shirt.

She rest her cheek on top of his head as they cuddled, eyes catching his little bag she had left on the floor after quickly unpacking everything last night. All his things had come neatly washed and folded, like they'd been ready packed.

Like the family they were with had been ready for the kids to go that day.

The thought made her feel a little better, like they'd seen how well loved the kids were and how much they belonged back where they had come from. Like they thought Arizona would win.

His blue blanket had been on top, ready to grab.

"Shall we get you ready and go get some pancakes, Tobes?"

He sat up, eyes wide, "Pan?"

She nodded and he grinned, wriggling excitedly in her arms.

She changed his diaper, making a secret oath she doubted would last very long to never complain about doing if it meant she had the kids with her. She got him dressed in denim overalls and a stripy green shirt underneath, pulling his shoes on to him while he kicked his legs cheekily and grinned at her. She poked his tummy and pulled him back into her arms, where he settled back in, blue blanket grasped firmly under his arm.

She tried to not make a big deal of it. He had been using it a lot less leading up to the trial. Mostly at night it would make an appearance, but for the last probably month, that was it. When Sally and Tim had first passed away, the blanket went everywhere with him, as it had most times since he was a baby. As time had passed and, Arizona supposed, he got a little older, the blanket had started to be left behind and only used for sleep.

And now it was back, Toby clutching it firmly.

Just another sign of the effect this had all had.

Arizona plodded down the stairs, chatting to Toby as they walked through to the kitchen. She paused in the doorway, a smile on her lips as she saw Ella standing at the bench, obviously on her footstool, eggs, flour and milk on the bench with the mixing utensils displayed in front of her. She was very carefully trying to measure the flour with the measuring cup.

She looked up, "One of these cups?"

Arizona nodded, walking over with Toby and popping him down on the floor. He immediately started to try climb up her legs, making slight whiny noises.

She looked down, "Wanna stay down the with some books, Tobes? We'll get your trains?"

He shook his head adamantly, "Up! Na."

Arizona bent down and picked him back up, indulging it for now and hoping that over the next few days he'd settle in to his normal routine. She had no idea what was normal for this situation. He settled back on to her hip and peered over to watch Ella, blanket clutched and smiling.

"That's it Ella. I'll help with the milk."

They went about making pancakes, passing the morning by eating far too many of them. They all hung out in the living room, playing with Toby's trains and Ella studiously colouring in. Relieved it was Saturday and Arizona hadn't had to keep Ella out of school for this bonding time, they headed to the shops for some grocery shopping and the library late morning.

Arizona very quickly went from hating it was Saturday.

Two hours later they emerged home, Arizona frazzled by the amount of people at the stores and the library. She wouldn't be repeating that experience with two children any time soon if she could help it. Toby was carried in, full from the lunch they'd had while out and having fell asleep ont the drive home. Arizona settled him in his bed and her and Ella bought in the groceries, Ella even helping her put it away.

By the time it was coming on to four o'clock, Toby was back up, sitting on the floor next to the table with Ella, both of them playing with his cars and trains as Arizona drank a coffee. While Toby was sitting incredibly close to her, she was just relieved he wasn't trying to sit on her lap and play the exploding train game he was so partial to.

There was a knock at the door and Arizona looked up sharply as she heard a small crash. Ella was sitting, her eyes wide and peering towards the hallway, the train she had been holding, one of Toby's biggest ones, upside down on the floor next to her crossed legs.

"Ella?"

Ella didn't look at her. She'd gone slightly pale.

"Ella Bella?"

Ella blinked and looked at her, "Who's here?"

Arizona bit her lip, seeing the slight panicked look on Ella's face. She held her hand out and Ella hesitated only a moment before standing up and leaning in to Arizona in a rush, half sitting on her lap, "It'll be Callie or Teddy or Nana." She smiled at Ella, trying to pull her out of it, "Lets go see, hey?"

Ella nodded, as if not believing her, and taking her hand, Arizona led her to the front door. Toby had paid no attention to them but when she reached the door way and out his site she heard him make a quick noise and his little feet carried him to her, his hand clutching her jeans as they walked to the front door.

"Who is it?" Ella called after Arizona poked her.

"Someone bearing treats!"

Arizona grinned, looking down at Ella, who had started to smile, "Who did that sound like?"

"Teddy!"

Ella pulled the door open and launched herself on Teddy, who knelt to receive her Teddy dropped kisses on her neck with an, "Ella! I missed you!"

She wrapped Ella in a hug and looked over her shoulder, grinning, "Toby!"

Toby grinned, giving a delighted giggle and running at Teddy, leaving Arizona without a child on or directly next to her for the first time all day. She smiled as she watched Teddy be swamped by the kids.

"Did you bring treats?"

Ella looked at Teddy with all the love and adoration of a seven year old promised candy.

Teddy laughed and nodded, "I did! They're for a picnic at the park though. Know anyone who would be interested in coming to the park with me?"

"Me!"

Teddy feigned surprise, "Oh! You want to come? I thought you hated parks. especially ones with a picnic."

Ella shook her head, "No. I love parks! Who told you that?" She turned and looked at Arizona, "Did you tell Teddy that?"

Arizona shook her head, "Nope. Not me."

Teddy stood up, Toby on her hip, who was smiling at her like she was the second coming. He really did adore Teddy.

Ella looked back to Teddy, smiling, "Well, I love parks."

Teddy grinned, "Then you can definitely come."

Callie pulled up at the front of the house just then, climbing out of the car and waving at them all on the front step.

"Doctor Callie!"

And Ella was off, to be picked up and swung around and smothered with kisses. She clung to Callie, and Callie barely glanced back up at them.

Teddy looked to Arizona, rubbing her nose on Toby's cheek to make him giggle first.

Arizona smiled at her, "Hey."

Teddy grinned, "Hey." She took a step forward and her and Arizona walked in to the house, leaving Callie chattering with Ella next to her car, "You know, Ella just adores her."

Arizona looked over her shoulder to Teddy, "I know."

"Good. So, all is right with the world?"

Arizona nodded as Teddy took a seat at the kitchen table, putting her oversized bag on the floor next to her and settling Toby on her lap.

Putting the kettle on, Arizona leant on the bench, "All is very right."

Teddy nodded at Toby, who had pulled one of his books of the table and was pointing at a random page to show her, "I was so relieved for you guys. Not that it should have gone any other way."

Arizona smiled at her, watching how Toby leant back in to Teddy, totally comfortable. These kids were going to have so many people in their lives, "I was relieved, too."

Teddy looked up at her over Toby's head, turning pages for him, her face concerned as she asked, "How are they?"

Arizona shrugged, noting Toby not taking any attention, "Blankets going everywhere," She indicated to Toby with her chin, "And E-well, she's unsettled. Quiet. We had a chat, which will hopefully help. The knock at the door made her panic."

Teddy's eyes were sad, "That will calm down. She'll realise she's safe eventually."

Arizona nodded and Teddy went back to the book with Toby when she heard Ella and Callie loudly entering the house.

"No _way_!"

"Yes way!"

"I don't believe you!"

"Ella, who's the doctor here?"

"You."

"Exactly."

They entered the kitchen, Callie looking up from Ella, "Hello, ladies."

Teddy waved at her and went back to Toby and Arizona grinned at her.

"What were you two talking about?"

Callie walked over to Toby and kissed his neck in a quick flurry of kisses, making him giggle sweetly, then walked to the kitchen bench and leant on it next to Arizona, eyes on her as she spoke. They smiled while she talked, each wanting to greet the other with more affection than they just had.

"Ella doesn't believe me that there's a Finding Nemo 2 coming out."

"What does being a doctor have to do with that?"

Callie shrugged, smirking, "I use what I have."

Arizona rolled her eyes and laughed.

"You two really like each other."

They both finally looked away, looking to Ella who was staring at them blatantly. Teddy glanced up, amused.

"What, Ella?" Arizona wasn't sure where that had come from.

"You two. You really like each other. You're always staring and smiling with gross looks on your faces. Kind of like how Aladdin looked at Jasmin."

Teddy tried to cover a laugh and failed. Ella just looked at them innocently.

Arizona glanced sideways at Callie, resisting the urge to death glare Teddy. Callie looked at her blankly, then back to Ella. Arizona turned her head to see Ella still just watching them.

"Uh-yeah, we do really like each other." Arizona finally answered.

Ella rolled her eyes, "_So_ obvious."

Teddy looked at her, holding her hand up for a high five, which Ella obliged, "Right, Ella? They're s_o_ obvious."

Ella sat at the table, looking at Callie and Arizona who were staring at her with their mouths half open, "What?"

Arizona shook her head and stood up, "Nothing."

Teddy snorted again, and Ella looked at her, "What?"

Teddy shook her head, "Nothing."

Callie was still staring at her while Arizona made tea, mouth still slightly agape.

Ella looked at Callie, "_What?_"

Callie shook her head, "Nothing, Ella."

"You guys are weird.

####

The lights were off and they were all washed in the flickering blue of 'Finding Nemo', Ella insisting on it since she needed to 'be on top of it all' for the sequel in a year. Callie had finally convinced her she wasn't lying and now she was incredibly excited.

The park had been relaxed, Barbara joining them and looking so happy she could cry, surrounded by Callie, Teddy, Arizona, Toby and Ella. Ella had managed to play the puppy dog eyes and convince Callie and Teddy to stay for DVD night, since it was Saturday and it was tradition. Barbara had stayed for dinner and only left fourty five minutes ago, hugging every single one of them. Twice.

Now, Toby in bed, all four of them were struggling to stay awake on the couch. Teddy kept nodding off and snapping her head up, while the other three blinked heavily while watching the screen. Apparently the last few days had taken a toll on all of them.

Arizona rolled her head sideways, taking in Ella looking half asleep, head on Teddy's lap with her legs stretched out over both Callie and Arizona's laps.

She watched Teddy jolt herself awake again and smirked, "You sleeping here tonight, Teddy Bear?"

Teddy looked over at her and glared at the nick name, "I was going to, but maybe not with that."

"Aw, come on, Teddy, it's cute. It's suits you." Callie grinned at her.

Teddy narrowed her eyes, "Ella, they're picking on me."

"I like the name Teddy Bear."

"Not so helpful, kid, but thanks."

Ella just smiled up at her.

Teddy looked back to Arizona, "That okay if I crash on your lovely couch?"

Arizona nodded, "definitely. We can all have breakfast in the morning."

Ella smiled sleepily, "Yay! Pancakes again? Callie, you're staying, too? You make the best pancakes."

Arizona tried to ignore that even the seven year old preferred everyone elses cooking.

Callie and Arizona looked sideways at each other, then back to Ella. Arizona fished for an answer, "We're kind of running out of beds, Ella."

Ella rolled her eyes, "She can sleep in _your_ bed. You like each other and stuff." Her eyes were back on the screen, problem solved.

Arizona looked at Callie, who was trying not to look too hopeful, then back to Ella, "Would that be okay with you?"

"I get pancakes."

Teddy snorted another laugh.

Arizonan nodded, "Okay then." She looked to Callie, half smiling, "Wanna have a sleepover?"

Callie was grinning, "Yes, please."

Teddy rolled her eyes, "Ugh."

Ella looked back up to Teddy, "I know, right?"

Teddy grinned.

Callie and Arizona ignored them both.

####


	25. Chapter 25

**Title: **Changes  
**Author: **gabs88  
**Pairing: **Callie/Arizona  
**Summary: **When Arizona's brother dies in a car crash with his wife, she is named guardian of his two children. What does this mean for the life of someone who never wanted her own kids, let alone anyone elses?  
**Rating: **M.  
**Disclaimer: **All characters belong to ABC/Shonda Rhimes.  
**Authors note: **Hey guys, thanks for the love, you guys really do keep a girl motivated. Sorry about the delay-holidays are awesome for life but not always for writing opportunities for longer fics. I'd rather get a lengthy update happening, hence the delay. Sorry! :)

**Changes  
Chapter Twenty Five**

Callie groaned loudly behind her and Arizona smirked.

"What is that?"

Callie's voice sounded choked with sleep and Arizona pulled Callie's arm tighter around her middle, feeling her curl more in to her back.

Arizona chuckled slightly, "That, was Toby."

The noise came again, "Na!"

Callie groaned in to her back again and Arizona felt the arm slide away as Callie rolled on to her back. Arizona rolled over and looked at her, just in time to see Callie pull a pillow over her head.

A muffled voice floated out, "Why is it Toby?"

Arizona looked at the clock. It was just after five. Any earlier and she might have had hope of getting him back to sleep for another hour or so, but this late, and he'd most likely be up for good.

"'Cause he's a baby?"

"He's almost two!"

Arizona smirked, "He's nineteen months."

Callie made a grumbling noise, then pulled the pillow up and looked at Arizona, "What time is it?"

Arizona grimaced, "Five."

"Ugh."

The pillow was pulled back over her face.

Arizona sat up, resting her hand on Callie's stomach, "I'll be right back."

She slipped out of bed, already clothed. Callie just grunted from under the pillow.

Smirking, Arizona padded down the hallway to get Toby before he woke up Ella. Often, he'd sleep much later than this. On the odd occasion, however, he woke up bright and early and ready to go. And while Arizona would appear to handle the early morning better than Callie, it was always easier to handle with one cuddly toddler than a cuddly toddler and his incredibly chatty sister.

It _was_ five am, after all.

Ella had fallen asleep sprawled over them all on the couch the night before, delighted that she was going to wake up to her three favourite people in the morning. Teddy had fallen asleep, too, and Callie had thrown a blanket over her while Arizona had woken Ella and had guided her, half asleep, to the toilet then to bed.

She'd tucked her in and given her a hug, and when she'd pulled away, Ella had clung to her shirt. Not having the heart to pull her hand away, Arizona had sat, stroking back her hair until Ella had fallen back to sleep, hand falling away on its own as sleep washed over her.

Arizona had sat for a minute longer, hand stilled on her forehead, and watched her.

She was so, so relieved to have them back.

Ella was like a doll when she slept. Strawberry blonde hair, the adorable mix of Sally and Tim, the soft curve of her nose and the smattering of freckles that covered it.

She felt so much more at ease, having them back.

The sick sense that she'd failed her brother and Sally had started to leave, having them back under the same roof as her finally making that feeling fade. She still ached, to have Tim there, to ask him how she was doing, if everything was how he would want it.

And then the sick feeling would wash over again, because what Tim would want, would to be alive with Sally and his kids.

She watched Ella sleep.

She really did look like her. Which meant she looked like Tim. She also had a lot of Sally in her features, a beautiful mis up of the two.

What would fade, without their influence? What would stay?

Arizona had pressed a kiss to her cheek and pulled the blanket right up.

She'd joined Callie in bed, Callie making a joke that Ella would be teasing the two of them along with Teddy from now on.

Arizona had felt slightly choked with emotion, and buried her face in Callie's neck, kissing the skin there, then kissing her with more fever than she'd realised she had had building.

They'd fallen asleep, wrapped in each other, a few hours later. Arizona had had to poke Callie to wake up enough to pull clothes on, reminding her that Ella liked to crawl in to her bed sometimes.

It was a habit she'd have to get Ella out of, or at least teach her to knock first and wait. However, with the fragile state she was in, she wasn't going to give Ella any hint that she couldn't come to Arizona whenever she wanted, not just yet.

Now, at the stupid time of five am, Arizona stifled a yawn after only four hours sleep, pushing Toby's door open to see him sitting up, looking sleepier than she felt. She couldn't help but smile as he grinned dopily up at her.

Maybe he would fall back to sleep.

He pushed himself up to stand, unsteady on the softness of the mattress, and she scooped him up out of his cot before he could fall over.

"Na." He said happily and she pulled him against her front, his little legs wrapping around her and his head resting heavily on her chest.

"Morning, little man."

His fingers grasped her shirt and he yawned against her neck.

"It's very early, you know."

He burrowed in to her.

She turned to carry him through to her room when he sat up straight in her arms, hair sticking every which way, "Blank!"

She stopped, "Of course," she turned back to his crib, "Can't forget your blanket."

She leaned over and picked it up, holding it to him. He grabbed it and grinned, clutching it to his chest.

She was just glad he wasn't demanding his pacifier during the day. He'd only been back with her two nights, but she hoped the needing the blanket at all times would slowly settle.

He threw his head back down on to her chest and cuddled in, and she carried him through to the bedroom, hand rubbing his back. Pushing the door open, she closed it most of the way after she walked in, and smirked again at the lump that was Callie under the blankets, pillow still pulled over her head.

She whispered in Toby's ear, "Who's that?" and pointed to the lump.

He sat up straight in her arms and looked curiously at the lump, then back to Arizona, then back to the lump.

He pointed at it, then looked to Arizona to make sure she'd seen it.

She widened her eyes, "I know! Who is it?"

He craned forward and she stepped towards the bed, plopping Toby down. He crawled across the mattress, sitting down heavily, blanket in his lap. and smacked his hand down on the pillow. Nothing happened, and he looked at Arizona, concerned. She grinned.

"Try again, Tobes."

He smacked his open palm back down on the pillow and jumped when it moved, then looked delighted as Callie emerged from under it.

"Ca!"

Callie, even when asleep and hating everything at five am, couldn't help but smile at the delighted toddler, "Hey, Tobes."

Toby fell forward in a full body cuddle, wrapping his arms around Callie. Callie grabbed him, maneuvering him under the covers and pulling him in against her. He snuggled in, getting comfortable, then out of nowhere sat up, grabbed his blanket, then lay back down, cuddled right in to Callie's front. He turned his little head to look at Arizona, who was trying not to explode with the cuteness of the scene.

"Na."

She took the hint and walked forward, slipping back under the covers and throwing an arm over Toby, so her hand was on Callie's hip. Toby was, effectively, in a sandwich.

He burrowed right back down and yawned.

Callie caught Arizona's eye over the top of his head.

"Is he always this cute in the morning?"

Arizona nodded, "About nine times out of ten. Every now and again he's a nightmare."

Callie faked shock, "Never! Look at him!"

Right then, cuddled between the two of them, he looked like an angel.

Arizona pressed her face in to the back of Toby's head, breathing in his baby smell, "Mm. He's good at looking innocent."

She yawned and Callie caught it, yawning, too. Toby, between them, yawned again as well and Callie chuckled, slipping her arm over him so her hand mirrored Arizona's, fingers stroking the skin at her hip.

They all drifted back to sleep.

Two hours later, they were rudely awakened by the lurching of the bed.

"Wake up, wake up, wake up!

Callie, again, groaned and rolled on to her back, pulling the pillow over her head.

Arizona opened one eye blurrily to see Toby sitting up, clapping and laughing at the site in front of him.

Ella and Teddy were jumping on the end of the bed, Ella standing and Teddy kneeling, holding hands. Their hair was wild around their heads and both were grinning.

Teddy was the one chanting, "Wake up, guys!"

Ella giggled, "Hi, Aunty Na! Teddy told me to yell and wake you up but I said I wasn't meant to, so she said she'd do it."

Teddy mock glared at Ella, "Way to drop me in it."

Arizona grabbed a pillow and threw it, hitting the distracted Teddy full in the face.

Teddy grabbed the pillow as it slid down and turned her glare to Arizona, "Well. That was just rude."

Ella crawled up the bed and launched her self on Arizona in a hug, "Morning!"

Arizona wrapped her arms around Ella as she half sprawled in her lap, dropping a kiss to her head, "Morning, Ella Bella."

"El! Cal!"

Ella looked at Toby, who's hair was an even bigger mess than it had been earlier, "Morning, Toby."

Toby grinned at her and smacked his open palm down on the pillow over Callie's face like he had earlier, "Ca!"

Ella giggled, "Hi, Doctor Callie."

Callie pulled the pillow up, smiling at Ella, "Morning, Ella."

Ella bounced in Arizona's lap, "I slept in!"

Arizona looked at the clock, "It's barely after seven, Ella."

"That's totally a sleep in."

"Well, I appreciate you waking Teddy up first."

Teddy, who had flopped down on her back at the end the bed, turned her head, "Happy to be of assistance. Why's the tot in your bed?"

Toby was grinning and crawling his way over the bed to Teddy. He patted her stomach then lay down with his head on it. Teddy chuckled and tickled him, making him squeal.

Arizona shrugged, "He woke up early."

Teddy smirked, looking at Callie, "How early?"

Callie answered through a fake smile, "Five."

Teddy snorted.

"Nice work, Tobes."

Toby giggled.

####

The week passed and became the next week too quickly for Arizona to keep up. In some ways, it was like thier routine was never broken, Ella getting dropped to her mothers before school and Toby going to day care with her. She picked up Ella after work and they had dinner, she visited Toby in dar care, and she had coffee with Teddy and paged Callie to on call rooms at inappropriate times. Teddy and Callie joined for dinner every now and again.

However, some things were glaringly obvious that they had had six days of hell, and some things were subtle, barely noticable unless you knew to look for them.

Toby's cries at night, when he woke, had gone from an easy calling out to a slight panicked yelling of Arizona's name, and he'd have tears on his cheeks when she went in, half scaling her when she picked him up to comfort him back to sleep.

The blanket still went everywhere and every now and again, he'd cling when she dropped him off at day care.

He spoke a little less, words he'd picked up no longer being yelled in delight.

Ella was the real mystery.

At times, she was the Ella that had started to re-emerge right before she'd been taken in to foster care. The Ella who was emerging post the death of her parents, with an Aunties patient coaxing.

Others, she was quiet, contemplative. She clung for longer when Arizona tucked her in at night. She jumped when she heard tyres over the gravel in the driveway, staring at the door wide eyed as if she expected to be dragged through it.

Three times in ten days, Arizona had gotten up to comfort her after a night mare.

One of them, she'd been so inconsolable Arizona had carried her through to her bed, wrapping her up and murmuring useless words of comfort.

Her choked cry of, "I want mommy." Had made Arizona's chest ache and her own tears well. She rubbed Ella's back, wanting to give her whatever would comfort her, and unable to give her the only thing that would truly make everything okay.

Callie was a ray of sunshine for all of them.

She had stayed over twice more, her and Teddy joining for dinner more than they stayed. The kids loved waking up to Callie in the house, and thus far they had remembered to put clothes on before falling asleep each time.

There were days Arizona felt like she was exactly where she wanted to be, Callie moving around the kitchen and Ella chattering about the baby bird they'd saved at recess and Toby on her lap, leaning back in to her front and sucking at a sippy cup they were trialing.

And there days she felt like pulling her hair out and screaming.

Ella would be sullen and refusing to pick up her toys. Toby would be clingy and whiny, hanging off her until she couldn't remember what it felt like to be alone for more than thirty seconds. Work would get hectic and she'd be running around, trying to finish in time to get Toby from day care and stop by the grocery store and get Ella from her mothers and God, what was she going to do for dinner tonight and there was six loads of laundry she had to get done and if Ella whined she wanted another bowl of ice cream one more time, Arizona was going to lost it.

She would have moments, raring up out of the blue so solid and painful, where she wanted to talk to her brother, to ask Sally questions, to giggle with her over wine, to punch Tim in the arm when he said something annoying,

Toby would look at her sometimes, head cocked and forehead all scrunched up, and she would swear Tim was looking at her with his 'you're insane, Little Sister' look, and it made her chest ache.

Without the distraction of the trial, missing her brother and Sally seemed to fall over her like a tonne of bricks.

She knew Callie had noticed, but found herself smiling and saying she was fine.

These were the days she'd stand in the kitchen, where Toby would be pulling on her leg and Ella would be calling something out from the living room, where she wouldn't have gotten to have time with Callie for more than five minutes in days, and she'd close her eyes and take a deep breath and count backwards from ten.

However, these days, the days it all felt like she didn't know what she was doing, she genuinely didn't question _why_ she was doing it and if she _wanted_ to be doing it. Not anymore.

She no longer felt so angry at her brother for putting her in this position she wished him back purely so she could scream at him.

However, having that anger gone left her aching with the sadness that he wasn't there.

She'd reach zero in her count down, open her eyes and lean down, picking up Toby.

Toby would pat her face with his open palm and smile and say, "Na," with so much affection in his voice.

Ella would wander through from the living room and say, "I just wanted to tell you that the teacher asked who we wanted to talk to every day, and everyone said a friend from school, but I said Mommy and Daddy, because I remembered you told me it was okay to talk about them."

And she'd be able to keep doing it.

Because these two kids made all the rest completely worth it.

She'd pick up her phone with a text from Callie that would make her smile.

Then she'd order pizza and they'd pull out a blanket and have a picnic on the kitchen floor, the kids bouncing at the adventure of it all.

Arizona would leave the laundry to the next day.

And that was okay.

####

"Ella asked me if you were my girlfriend at dinner."

Arizona pulled her lips back from Callie's neck, "When?"

She was sprawled over Callie, trying to find the energy to get up and get clothing on before the aforementioned Ella burst through the door, even though it was just after midnight.

Callie shrugged, one arm under her head and the other tracing lazy patterns over Arizona's back, "When you were doing the dishes."

Arizona rest her chin on her hands over Callie's sternum, blue eyes looking at Callie, "What you say?"

"Um-I didn't want to lie. But I didn't know if it was my place to say anything. I don't know how much detail you wanted to go in to, or how much detail Ti-I didn't know."

Arizona smiled softly, "You can say his name, Callie."

Callie smiled sadly, shrugging, hand gliding up Arizona's back and over her shoulder to push the hair behind her ears, "I didn't want to upset you. You've seemed extra, sad? About it. This last week or so. Which is totally fine-I just didn't want to make you talk about it."

Arizona wanted to do what she usually did when it came to talking about her emotions of this, which was change the subject and not talk about it. But Callie was looking at her with utter concern, and she was wrapped in warm skin, laying between Callie's legs and she didn't want her to think she couldn't bring up this topic. Callie was still, at times, walking on egg shells since they had gotten back together. It had only been a few days they'd been broken up for, but it had impacted them, and Callie shouldn't have to be that careful with her.

She drew in a deep breath, nodding softly, "I have been."

Callie looked at her, waiting for her to go on.

"I-I'm not angry, any more."

Callie looked at her, slightly confused.

Arizona rest her cheek on her hand, tilting her head so she could still look at Callie, whose hand now rest between her shoulder blades, "I was so angry, at Tim. For putting me in this position. God, even for-for dying. I just wanted to, yell at him." Arizona didn't know if it made much sense, but she kept talking, "And now, it's kind of hard to explain. I'm not angry, at him anymore. I wouldn't want the kids to be with anyone else and I have you and I actually _really_ like my life. And then I feel guilty, because I like my life and it's a life where my brother and Sally are dead, and that is _not_ okay."

It came out in a rush, some of it things Arizona hadn't even really realised she had been thinking. Callie just looked at her, eyes soft and her face showing how much her heart broke at her words.

Arizona bit her lip, eyes burning, and she looked Callie in the eye, expression a little tortured, "Those kids don't have their parents and I don't have my brother or my best friend and we are all starting to move on, and that's not _fair_, Callie." Her voice broke over the words, "It's not fair."

A sob escaped her lips and Callie wrapped her arms around Arizona, pulling her up. Arizona buried her face in Callie's neck and her fingers dug in to her back as she clung to her.

She had no idea why she was feeling like this, why now.

She missed her brother.

Callie's hand ran down her hair and over her back, her leg thrown over Arizona's hip, pulling her in tighter against her.

Arizona gave another sob and pulled back, eyes bright with tears, "And Callie, God, I love you." Her hand gripped the back of Callie's neck, "Do you have any idea of just how much better you make everything else?"

Callie smiled softly at her and Arizona shook her head and pulled her in, kissing her, her cheeks wet with tears. Callie wrapped her hands in Arizona's hair as she went to pull back, pulling her back in to kiss her again.

When they finally parted, Arizona smiled a watery smile at her.

"I know I don't always talk-it's okay to push me, sometimes."

Callie nodded slowly, dropping her eyes to look down, "I just, didn't want to push you away."

Arizona rest her forehead against Callie's, "You couldn't do that."

Callie nodded and took in a deep breath, Arizona doing the same, hers shuddering slightly.

"I just miss Tim."

Callie wrapped her back up in her arms, "I know you do."

Because what else could she say?

They lay quietly for a minute before Arizona kissed the skin under her lips.

"And you can tell Ella we're girlfriends-you're a part of the kids life, too. I trust you to tell her whatever you want."

Callie tilted Arizona's face up and kissed her, her touch soft.

####

Taking a deep breath, Arizona pushed open her brothers bedroom door.

The room was clean, now. No slight layer of dust. Arizona cleaned it when she ran the vacuum over the rest of the house, too.

She was seriously considering getting someone in to do the cleaning once a week.

Since the night with Ella and Toby when they'd been sick and miserable, the room wasn't always shut off. She used the bathroom occasionally, she left the door open-but no one really regularly went in there.

And then last night, Ella had asked why Arizona slept in the room they kept for guests when there was the big room now.

Arizona had asked if she'd find it weird if she slept in the that room and Ella had thought for a minute and shrugged, going back to her dinner and not answering.

However, when she was tucking Ella in to bed, Ella had held on to her, as she was tending to do every night, and said, "Mommy always liked people being comfy when they stayed over. And I think you'd be more comfy in there. And then Teddy can be comfy in your bed when she stays."

Arizona had crawled on to the bed next to her and pulled her in to a cuddle, Ella quiet and contemplative as she played with the pendant around Arizona's neck.

Arizona had thought for a minute, trying to decide where to go with this.

"How about I move some things from there, tomorrow? And then you can pick things, that you want to keep safe, of Mommy's and Daddy's and we'll find a special place for you to keep them?"

Ella had nodded against her chest, "Can I tell you a secret?"

Arizona kissed the top of her head, "Always."

Ella pulled away then, and leant over her bed, pulling out Tim's hoodie Sally had kept under her pillow for when he was away. She sat up, looking down at Arizona almost guiltily, "I took this after that time me and Toby threw up everywhere. Sometimes I wear it when I can't fall asleep."

Arizona had reached up and brushed the hair of Ella's face, "Ella Bella, why do you look worried?"

Ella looked at her lap, picking at the hem of the jumper, "'Cause I took it and it's not mine."

Arizona sat up and gently took the hoodie, pulling it over Ella's head, miles too big for her. Ella slipped her arms through the sleeves and looked at her with big, wide eyes.

"It can be yours if you want it to be."

Ella nodded and pulled the hood over her head, laying back down, Arizona laying next to her and trying not to think about how it still smelt a little like her brother.

"Can I keep Mommy's teddy from when she was a kid?"

Arizona had pulled her in tighter, "You can keep whatever you want."

"What about Toby?"

"We'll choose some things for him, too."

And now Arizona was standing, staring in to the room and preparing herself to start to pack it up.

Callie was at work, Arizona had a day off in the middle of the week, Ella was at school and Toby was asleep.

When he woke, she'd bring him in to 'help' once she'd gotten started, thinking if anything grabbed his attention she'd keep it aside for him. Boxes sat in the hall, gathered from a grocery store that morning.

All she had to do was step in and start.

She drew in a deep breath and jumped when the doorbell rang.

Feeling relieved, she walked down the stairs, pulling open the door to a red eyed Teddy. Arizona looked her up and down; her hair was in sloppy braids and she was wearing sweats. She didn't look like she'd slept.

"Teddy-what, are you okay?"

Teddy folded her arms across her chest, "Uh. I am. I'm okay."

She gave a nod and Arizona cocked her head at her, hand still on the door. Teddy made no move to step in.

"I called in sick, to work today."

"You sleep last night?"

Teddy shook her head, "Kind of. I packed it up. Everything. Yesterday afternoon and all night, I packed it up. And then I put in a rental application online at one am. And then I drank two bottles of wine. And I slept in our bed for an hour and woke up, and he wasn't there."

Arizona let go of the door, stepping forward and wrapping her arms around Teddy, gripping the thin woman to her.

Teddy's fingers dug in to her back, just for a moment, before she pushed Arizona back and nodded once, a smile on her face, "So. I'm moving."

Arizona nodded, fingers curled around Teddy's forearms, "Yeah. You're moving."

"What you up to?"

Arizona shrugged, "Trying to be as strong as you and pack up Tim and Sally's things from their room."

Teddy almost laughed. Almost. "Seriously? Like, right now?"

Arizona smiled, "Yup. You rang the bell and gave me the perfect excuse to stop standing in the doorway staring in to their room achieving nothing."

"Want a hand?"

Arizona shook her head, "You look exhausted."

"Arizona-let me help."

Teddy looked at her, almost pleadingly, and not for the first time, Arizona wondered how she was still standing. She nodded, "Okay."

She stepped back and Teddy walked in, following her up the stairs. They both paused in the doorway, Arizona looking in to the room apprehensively.

Teddy turned and looked at her profile, then did what Arizona couldn't. She grabbed a box and stepping in, turning to look at her, raising her eyebrows.

Arizona bent and grabbed a box, stepping in to the room after Teddy.

She looked around at Sally and Tim's things, spread out, the touches of objects that made up her brother and her sister in law's room. Photos, ornaments from travels, the bottle of sand Tim had sent Sally from Iraq, Sally's collection of first edition novels passed down to her from her grandmother.

All of it just _stuff_ really, just things. But all of it a collective of them, mapping out the time of their meeting, falling pregnant, getting married, starting a family.

This room was _them_, in a lot of ways. It was their space.

Teddy tilted her head as she watched her look around.

"Let's start with the socks." Teddy smiled at her, "Can't get sentimental about socks."

Arizona gave a short laugh, loving Teddy for being there, "Socks it is."

####


	26. Chapter 26

**Title: **Changes  
**Author: **gabs88  
**Pairing: **Callie/Arizona  
**Summary: **When Arizona's brother dies in a car crash with his wife, she is named guardian of his two children. What does this mean for the life of someone who never wanted her own kids, let alone anyone elses?  
**Rating: **M.  
**Disclaimer: **All characters belong to ABC/Shonda Rhimes.  
**Authors note: **Thanks everyone for sticking with this story and being patient with updates. Thanks for all your ongoing reviews, you guys write the most delightful people :). I love reading your thoughts.

**Changes  
Chapter Twenty Six**

The front door opened and Arizona heard, "Hello?" float up the stairway as Callie hovered in the door way.

"Upstairs!" She tried to call it quietly.

She heard Callie's footsteps on the stairs and looked up at the doorway from where she sat cross legged on the floor in the middle of Tim and Sally's room. Callie paused in the door way and took in the scene in front of her.

The room was filled with boxes, drawers opened and empty, the wardrobe door open and nothing but dust inside. There were boxes piled in what looked like two separate piles, one along one wall, and the other near the bed. The dresser was barren and most of the boxes were taped up. Callie's eyes looked to Arizona's face and gave her a small smile, eyes concerned.

"How you doing?"

Arizona shrugged and bought her finger to her lips, holding it over them as she indicated with a nod to the bed. Some boxes were piled in front of it and Callie had missed it at first, but she craned her neck around and saw, passed out over the covers, Toby and Teddy in the middle of it.

A smile spread over her face and she said in a whisper, "That is possibly the cutest thing I've ever seen."

Arizona smirked, "Teddy didn't get much sleep last night. She lasted four hours before falling asleep."

"Toby's sleeping late?"

Arizona gave a slight shrug, "He woke up far too early from his nap from the noise and then passed out again. I won't let him sleep much longer or he'll never go to bed tonight."

Callie nodded and crossed her arms, leaning her shoulder against the door frame as she watched Arizona, who was looking around the room like she couldn't believe she was in it.

"You going to move in here?"

Arizona sighed, leaning back on her hands, "I suppose." She looked up at Callie, eyes wide, "I mean, that's what makes sense. It just feels...weird. Like I'm trying to replace them?"

Callie rest her head on the wood, "I don't think it's like that at all. It makes sense, for you to be in here. It's your house now, Arizona. They left it for you, because if this happened they wanted you to feel like it was yours."

Arizona nodded, staring at a box absently.

Callie sighed and walked forward, sitting cross legged in front of her and resting her hands on her knees, "It sucks." Arizona looked up at her sharply as Callie kept talking, "It sucks, to put it all in boxes."

Arizona nodded, "It does."

"I'm glad Teddy was here."

"I don't think I would have started without her. You would have gotten here tonight to find me surrounded by empty boxes." Arizona looked down at her watch, "Actually, on that-it's only four?" A smile spread over her face, "You're early."

Callie grinned at her and nodded, "I escaped."

Arizona's eyebrows raised, "Are you playing hooky?"

Callie shrugged and grinned, "I may have found out I'm stuck on a random night shift tomorrow night so _may_ have taken the liberty of palming off rounds to Randells and just...leaving."

Arizona chuckled and leant forward on her knees, wrapping her arms around Callie's neck and leaning in, lips hovering over hers, "Sneaky."

Callie smiled and closed the distance, kissing her softly, lips brushing hers. Arizona tightened her grip around her neck and Callie wrapped her arms around her waist, pulling her in against her. They both sighed contentedly.

Callie nuzzled her nose, "Haven't got to do that in a few days."

Arizona nodded and pressed in tighter, dropping her head down to kiss Callie's neck, "I know. Life has a habit of getting in the way."

Callie's hands came up to her hair and she tilted Arizona's head up, "Just makes it more worth it when I see you."

"Okay, seriously, you two are repulsive."

They both turned to see Teddy sitting up on her elbow, rubbing her eyes and looking at both of them and making a face.

Arizona grinned, "Aw, Teddy-feel left out? Want to join?"

Teddy made a face, "No, thanks, that much sweetness and I'll get diabetes."

Callie raised her eyebrows at her as she let go of Arizona so she could sit back down, "You're a doctor, you know it doesn't work like that."

Teddy shrugged, "Whatever."

Arizona smirked and reached for the box she had next to her, pondering the inside of it.

Teddy sat up on the bed, crossing her legs, "Stop. It's fine."

Arizona made a face and then looked to Toby, still sleeping and back to the box.

Callie looked at him, too, "Thinking of putting him in there?"

Teddy laughed and Arizona rolled her eyes, "Funny." She smiled at Callie, softly, "It's a box of things to keep for him, of both their stuff."

Callie's smile faded to something less playful, "How do you choose something like that?"

Arizona shrugged, "Exactly. What if I keep the wrong things?"

Teddy spoke up, "Arizona, nothing you keep for him will be wrong. You kept the things he kept grabbing at in here and added the things you thought he'd like."

Arizona chewed her lip and passed the box over to Callie, who peered in side. She smiled, "You're giving him the sand in the glass?"

She nodded, "Yeah."

Callie had a look through, noting the dark black jacket she'd kept of Tim's that might one day fit Toby, the odd ornament, the photos and the bottle of aftershave, "This is perfect, Arizona."

She shrugged, still looking worried.

Callie leant forward and rest her hand on her knee again, squeezing it reassuringly, "it's a big responsibility, choosing this stuff. You've done good."

Arizona sighed and looked up to the bed where he was sleeping soundly, "He's just so little."

Teddy turned her head and looked at Toby, curled up next to her leg. She ran her hand through his curls, "He is." She looked up at Arizona, "But he'll be okay. The sand is a great idea, and so is the jacket."

Toby stirred then and they all watched him sit up, hair tousled. He rubbed his eyes and looked around, face splitting in to a sleepy grin as he took them all in. He zeroed in on Arizona, grabbed his blanket and half crawled to the edge of the bed, turning on to his stomach and sliding off. He toddled over and fell in to her lap, arms wrapped around her. He face buried in to her neck and he yawned widely, not quite awake. Arizona chuckled and brushed the hair off his forehead, wrapped him up in to a cuddle.

She looked up to see both Callie and Arizona gazing at Toby with smitten looks on their faces, "You two are ridiculous.

They both looked up at once, eyes surprised, "What!?"

"You're both only here to use me for the cute toddler. Admit it."

They looked at each other and shrugged, Teddy speaking, "We were hoping you'd take longer to clue in."

Arizona rolled her eyes and tugged Toby closer, who got indignant at the fact and squirmed to be put down. Arizona plopped him on the ground, and he stood for a minute, blinking and looking around, before sitting soundly back in Arizona's lap.

Callie rolled her eyes, "He adores you."

"Jealous?"

Callie laughed and opened her mouth, cut off as they heard the door open down stairs. Ella's voice came yelling up at them, "I saw Doctor Callie's car! And Teddy's!"

Barbara's voice reached them and Toby stood up, looking delighted at the sound and bolting for the door.

"Ella! You don't have to scream it out."

"Well where are they?"

All three stood up and followed Toby out in to the hall who was about to launch himself down the stairs.

Arizona raced forward, "Toby! Wait for us or take the rail!"

He may only be nineteen months but he knew what that meant, it was one of the few rules that governed his life.

He looked behind them and grinned, then looked back to the stairs and started to climb down, clutching his blanket in both hands, ignoring her.

Arizona reached forward and grasped the back of his shirt, "Toby!"

He looked up and tried to keep walking forward, Arizona holding tight to his shirt so his little legs kicked at air, "Toby Daniel Robbins!"

She tugged him up and he squirmed in her arms, "You know you need to hold the rail or wait for me."

He squirmed more and made a whiny noise and Arizona gripped him.

"I do it!"

She held on to him, secretly delighted he'd just thrown out a sentence he hadn't since before the trial, and started walking him down. She could practically _feel_ the amusement coming off Teddy and Callie behind her. She looked down the stairs to see her mother looking up at them with Ella bouncing from foot to foot next to her in her school uniform.

She looked at Toby who had half twisted around trying to get down, "Nope. Now you get carried because you didn't listen."

She blew a raspberry on his neck and made him half giggle and half whine again before she plopped him on the ground when they reached the bottom, where he instantly ran to Barbara, his goal since he heard her voice, grinning widely. Barbara bent down and picked him up, "Toby! Are you being naughty?"

"Nan!" He grinned at her and looked absolutely delighted.

Barbara rolled her eyes and kissed his cheek, looking up at Arizona, "Hello, and hello to you two." She was looking behind Arizona to where Callie and Teddy stood.

Ella was bouncing up the stairs and collided with Arizona, wrapping her arms around her legs and looking up at her, smiling widely, "Hi!"

Arizona chuckled and ran her hand over her braided hair, "Hey Ella Bella. How was school?"

"Boring." She looked around Arizona's legs to Teddy and Callie, "Are you guys staying for dinner?"

Teddy grinned at Ella, plopping down on to the stairs and reaching forward to pull her between her legs, wrapping her in a hug Ella revelled in, "Sure are."

Ella leaned forward and whispered in Teddy's ear in a voice that everyone could hear, "Is Doctor Callie cooking? 'Cause Aunty Na cooked last night and it was covered in burnt bits."

Arizona threw her hands up in disgust and ignored everyone's sniggering, walking down the hallway to the kitchen to put the kettle on, calling after her, "I was going to offer you an after school snack Ella, but I might burn the banana."

Ella looked confused as Arizona disappeared in to the kitchen, "How can you burn a banana?"

Teddy laughed and stood up and they all followed Arizona in to the kitchen, Toby on his grandmothers hip and Ella hanging on to Callie and Teddy's hands.

Callie looked down at her, "Your aunty was being silly."

"Oh."

"And yeah, I was going to cook. What did you want ?"

Arizona looked up at them as they all trooped in, tea mugs spread out over the counter and fruit on the bench she was cutting up.

Ella pursed her lips, thinking, then grinned, "Pancakes!?"

Callie laughed then scooped her into her front, tickling her and making her squeal, "You're going to turn in to a pancake soon!"

"Am not!" Ella's voice was delighted as she tried to squirm away from the tickling.

Teddy slid in to a chair next to Barbara and watched Toby squirm down of her lap and head for the basket kept in the corner filled with his trains. He pulled them out and started ramming them together in his manner.

"Are too! We can't have pancakes, there has to be at least three different food groups."

Ella pouted, back still pulled in to Callie's front where she half hung with Callie's arms around her waist, "Um-sgetti!"

"spaghetti? Okay. Deal."

"Yay!"

Callie looked up at Barbara, who was smiling at them, "You staying Barbara?"

"Twist my arm."

Arizona laughed from the kitchen, dropping cut up banana in to two little bowls, "Twist your arm to not have to cook for once?"

Barbara shrugged, "Have to pretend to not jump at a free meal, dear. Don't want to look cheap."

Callie laughed as Ella squirmed away and sat next to her brother, tugging the train out of his hand and making him squeal.

Arizona looked up sharply, not even witnessing the scene, "Ella, did you just grab his train out of his hands?"

Ella looked at her guiltily and dropped the train back in to Toby's lap who held it to his chest and looked at his sister like she'd utterly betrayed him, "I wanted to show him something cool!"

Arizona clucked her tongue, "So don't snatch it from him. You know that."

Ella reached forward and grabbed a different train out, grumbling, "Fine. Sorry Toby."

Toby smiled and held the train out to Ella, sharing like the little brother who had never been given a choice.

Callie walked up behind Arizona, kissing the back of her neck before grabbing the kettle and filling up the mugs Arizona had set up.

Barbara turned to Teddy, resting a hand on hers, "You look tired, Teddy."

She said it with all the care of a mother and Teddy gave a weak smile, "I had a long night."

Barbara patted her hand, murmuring something that made Teddy smile Arizona didn't quite catch as she dropped some apple in to the bowls and walked around the bench, placing the bowls next to the kids who both grabbed at their fruit instantly.

"Ahem?" Arizona looked down at them, face playfully expectant.

"Thank you!" Ella sang out, biting in to some apple.

"Tobes? Ta?"

Toby looked up at her, apple making his cheeks bulge and said something that sounded like, "Ta."

Arizona smiled, "You're welcome."

She walked over and sat down, thanking Callie as she put a mug down in front of her. Teddy was looking a little better and Arizona sipped her hot drink, wondering how her mother could murmur words of comfort so easily. Arizona had felt like she was supporting her for so many months, the grief about Tim so deep, yet she was easily able to get it together to comfort Teddy so easily. She watched her mother, watched how her eyes floated to the kids, checking on them subconsciously.

Her mom was a born grandmother. A born comforter.

The afternoon passed easily, and Callie started to prepare dinner, Barbara joining her in chopping vegetables, Teddy in the livingroom reading an enthralled Toby stories. Arizona slid behind Callie and murmured something in her ear, Barbara overhearing her and they both nodded as Arizona slipped over to the table where Ella was colouring in. She squatted down and looked at the picture.

"Ella Bella? Is that a unicorn?"

Ella, delighted she had recognised it, smiled and nodded, "Yup. She's even going to have wings."

"Wow. That's way too cool. Kind of like My Little Ponies?"

Ella looked at her blankly, "What?"

God, Arizona was old. She heard both Barbara and Callie chuckle behind her, "Nothing. Wanna come up stairs with me for a bit? I wanted to talk to you more about what we talked about last night?"

Ella's whole demeanour instantly changed. She nodded, and watched her picture for a second. Arizona didn't push her, waiting for her to make the first move. She put her pencil down finally and pushed her chair back, standing up. At that height, she was eye to eye to Arizona as she squatted down, and Arizona leaned forward, kissing her cheek and smiling at her reassuringly. Arizona stood and Ella didn't move for a minute, looking in to the kitchen where Callie and Barbara were busy not making anything a big deal. She finally held her hand up for Arizona to take.

Arizona looked down at those wide green eyes, and Ella suddenly looked a lot older than her seven years, "Did you pack their stuff?"

Arizona looked at her, nodding, "Yeah. I've started to. But I wanted to make sure you got all the things you wanted. Did you want to go look now?"

Ella didn't hesitate, nodding, "Yes, please."

"Okay. Lets go, honey." They started walking to the hall and up the stairs, "Toby chose some things, you know."

Ella stopped on the stairs, half way up, "Did he?"

Arizona looked at her, sitting down on the step so the were eye to eye again, "Yeah."

Ella fiddled with the zip on her jacket, looking up the stairs almost nervously, "Good. Cause he's just a baby and he needs stuff to remember them."

Arizona tilted her head, watching Ella as she stared up the stairs.

She finally turned and looked Arizona in the eye, "Aunty Na, do you remember things from when you were a baby?"

Arizona shook her head slowly, "No, sweetie, I don't."

Ella looked worried, "I don't really, either." Ella was gnawing her lip and Arizona sat, letting her work out where her thoughts were going, "Toby's really little."

Arizona nodded, "He is, yeah."

She reached up and ticked some hair that had fallen loose from the braids she'd done just that morning behind Ella's little ear.

Ella was looking at her searchingly, and her voice came out a whisper, "He's not going to remember Mommy and Daddy, is he?"

Arizona let out a slow breath, "No, not really, Ella Bella."

Ella's forehead furrowed and her eyes filled with tears, "But I remember them."

"Yeah, you do."

"And you do. And Nana."

"Yeah."

"But Toby wont?"

Arizona shook her head, "He'll have a feeling about them, though."

"A feeling?"

"Yeah. A feeling, of them. Of how much they loved you and him."

Ella nodded absently, "And we'll help him remember. I'll help him. I'm his big sister, I can help him remember all about them."

Arizona smiled softly, wrapping her arms around Ella and pulling her between her legs to sit on her lap on the stairs. Ella leant heavily against her chest.

"You can definitely do that."

They sat for a minute, Ella playing with the pendant Arizona wore around her neck. Arizona kissed the top of her head and waited.

Ella finally took a deep breath, "Can we go up now?"

Arizona nodded, "Yeah, we can. There's lots of boxes and a lot is packed up, but if you think of anything I haven't kept out, you ask and we'll dig it out, okay?"

Ella nodded and stood up, and hand in hand they walked up the stairs and stood in the door way, Ella taking in the site of her parents room mostly packed away silently.

She finally looked up at Arizona, who looked down at her, "How does it all fit in boxes? They're so _big_."

Arizona realised she meant her parents, the memory of them, was so big. She didn't get how something so huge to her could fit in boxes, "I don't know Ella. I wonder the same thing."

"Are we gonna throw it all away?"

Her voice was tiny.

Arizona shook her head adamantly, "No. I was going to put most of it up in the attic. But I thought-you know how, at Christmas, we collect things to put in boxes and give to people who can't afford stuff?"

"To the poor people?" Arizona nodded and Ella looked back in to the room, "Yeah, Mommy always gave lots of stuff. We'd go to the stores and pick out toys I thought other kids would like, and we'd wrap them and they'd get given to kids who couldn't 'ford presents."

Arizona's heart tugged. Sally had been such an exceptional person, "Well, I was thinking, their clothes? Maybe we could give most of them to goodwill? So people who can't afford clothes can have some?"

Ella was quiet again before she finally nodded, "Yeah. Mommy would like that."

Arizona looked in to the room, "I thought so, too."

And finally, they stepped in to the room together, Ella's hand tight in her own.

####

Arizona felt like she could conquer a mountain.

She felt like she could climb freaking _Everest_.

She felt like, finally, everything was settling.

The ball that had been sitting heavily in her gut had completely dissolved and she was left feeling jubilant.

Two and a half weeks on from clearing out her brothers room, Arizona marched through the hospital on a mission.

She passed Hunt, who smiled at her, but before he could say anything, she interrupted, "Seen Callie?"

"Coming out of OR two."

Arizona hadn't stopped walking and had already moved passed him, calling out over her shoulder, "Thanks, Hunt."

"How'd it go?" He called after her.

She looked over her shoulder, "Super! Awesome, even!"

His laugh followed her. She reached the elevator and hit up, tapping her heels impatiently. She adjusted her blazer and tugged at her shirt, making sure her outfit was straight. Callie had insisted on the black pants with the white stripes down the side and Arizona felt like she was dressed in a power outfit. Which had been the point.

The elevator finally opened and she slipped in, hitting the button that would take her to Callie. The doors opened and just as she was about to step out, a smile spread across her lips as Callie looked up from her phone, looking in to the elevator and seeing Arizona. Callie's eyes raked down her body and back up.

"Hey. Nice outfit."

Arizona leaned forward, curling her fingers around Callie's wrist and tugging her in. She pressed a random button so the doors would close and spun her around, pressing her against the back wall of the elevator, hands cupping her cheeks and lips pressing to Callie's, who swiftly buried her hands in Arizona's hair.

She finally pulled back, grinning and lips bruised, "It went well then?"

Arizona, ecstatic, nodded, hands grasping Callie's forearms purely for the need to hold her closer, "It did. The judge didn't even deliberate. That's it, it's done. I have permanent guardianship!"

Callie's smile grew, her delight obvious. She wrapped her arms around Arizona in the biggest hug she could and Arizona pressed her face in to Callie's neck, a laugh bubbling out as she grinned in to her neck.

She pulled back and pressed their foreheads together, both of them smiling fit to burst.

"Callie! They can't take them now."

"I know. That's it, it's done."

Arizona laughed again, "I love you." She leaned forward, kissing her, "God, I love you. Thank you."

Callie laughed, still holding Arizona to her, "Why are you saying thank you?"

"Because, I'm allowed to."

Callie kissed her again, "I love you, too."

The doors opened and before they could untangle, they heard, "Oh for Godssakes. Am I stuck forever looking at the two of you?"

Arizona turned around at the sound of a smiling Teddy's voice, letting go of Callie and launching herself at Teddy, tackling her in a hug. Teddy wrapped her arms around her and looked over her shoulder at Callie, who was grinning still.

"I take it the final guardianship hearing went well?"

That night, Arizona picked up Ella from her mothers, Barbara already aware of the outcome as Arizona had called her as she left the court house. She'd asked her not to tell Ella.

While Ella gathered her things, Barbara raised her eyebrows at her in the door way, "Did you see Cathy?"

Arizona rolled her eyes, nodding, "She ignored me."

Barbara huffed, the idea of someone ignoring her child too much for her, "Well, I suppose that's better than reciting bible versus at you."

They all drove home, Ella telling her about her day at school and Arizona nodding, asking the right questions. They pulled up to the house, and she pulled Toby out of his care seat, putting him on the ground where he ran over the grass to the front door. Ella was already waiting there, school bag in hand. Arizona opened the door and let them through, Ella and Toby half falling over each other to get inside. Toby went for his blocks in the living room and Ella dumped her bag at the stairs and moved for the kitchen.

"Ella!"

Ella stopped and turned, walking back, "Alright, I'll put my bag in my room."

Arizona laughed, sitting on one of the last steps and pulling Ella in to her, "That, too. But I have something to tell you."

Ella settled against her and looked at her.

Blue eyes stared in to green and Arizona squeezed her tighter, "Okay, sweetie. I know you remember how, for a little while, you got taken to another house?"

Ella nodded.

"Remember how I told you I had to wait for the Judge to make some decisions, and that's why it took days for me to finally get you back?"

Ella nodded and then looked panicked, "Is that why you're dressed all fancy? Is he going to take us again?"

Arizona shook her head quickly, "No, sweetie. No." She brushed the hair of Ella's face, "Today I saw the judge again. But it was a good thing. Today he signed a special piece of paper that means no on can take you again." She put her hands on Ella's cheeks, looking at her with utter sincerity. While the kids were slowly settling the last month, she hadn't made clear cut promises to Ella, just in case. But now she could, she wanted the little girl to have some security, and she could finally offer it. "Hear that, Ella Bella? All the police and all the Judges have a piece of paper that says you stay here, with me."

Ella nodded slowly, "So-they can't come and put us in a car again?"

"Nope."

"And-and we stay with you, all the time? For good?"

"All the time sweetie."

The way Ella hugged her took her breath away.

####

The sound of a pager is the worlds most inconvenient noise.

Arizona turned her head, Callie's lips still attached to her neck, hand reaching for the offending item. She held it in front of her face, "Shit, Callie, it's a 911."

Arizona sat up and Callie rolled off her with a huff, "Tell them we're busy."

Arizona laughed, standing up and grabbing her shirt off her bed, pulling it on and kneeling a knee on the mattress, leaning over and kissing Callie soundly, "Don't think it works like that."

Callie smirked, hands running back under Arizona's shirt and nails scraping along her back, "I'll make it worth your while?"

Arizona's eyes closed and her back arched slightly, before she quickly pulled back, "I don't doubt that."

She walked around the room, grabbing items and throwing them in her bag. She pulled her phone out and Callie looked at her, "What are you doing?"

"Callie Mom to take Toby."

Callie looked at her with raised eyebrows, sitting up on her elbows. Arizona stared at her openly, shirtless and face a little flushed from the brief make out session they'd managed to slip in when Toby had gone down for his nap.

"Seriously? Why? I can take him."

Arizona cocked her head, looking at her. They had both been delighted to find out they had a random Wednesday off together. Arizona had kept Toby home from daycare and when he had gone down at eleven for a sleep, Callie had started to show her just _how_ delighted she had been. Arizona had housework to do and a list of chores she'd left for the next day off, but Callie pulling her own shirt off and pushing her back onto the bed had quickly made her figure she could do them that afternoon when Toby was nicely underfoot.

"Uh-are you sure?"

Callie hadn't really taken the kids yet. It was something Arizona had wanted to avoid, thrusting child minding on to her. Callie was her girlfriend, a very separate thing to her role with the kids. And yes, it all melded sometimes and Callie played with them and helped with them and had once picked Ella up from school, but Arizona didn't want to make her responsibilities completely Callie's. They'd only been together a few months.

Callie nodded smiling, "Of course. We'll have fun. I have to go to the shops later, I can take him. You take my car and leave me yours with the car seat. Oh!" Callie's eyes lit up, "I can call Barbara and tell her I'll get Ella from school. We'll all hang out and-" Callie stopped talking, looking to Arizona who was looking at her with a smile on her face, "What?"

Arizona shook her head, "Nothing." She moved forward again, kissing Callie, "I just-I love you."

Callie smirked, "That's 'cause I'm awesome."

The pager beeped again and they both groaned. Arizona raised her eyebrows at her, "Are you _sure_?"

"Shut up and go save tiny humans. My keys are in my jacket pocket in the kitchen."

Arizona kissed her again, "Thank you."

She stood, pausing in the bedroom doorway that was slowly starting to feel like her own. She looked at Callie and grinned, "I owe you one."

"You don't, but I'll take whatever that smile is offering anyway."

Arizona laughed and walked out. She stuck her head in to Toby's room, seeing him still fast asleep, and raced down the stairs, pulling her jacket on and swinging in to the kitchen to grab Callie's keys. She eyed the Thunderbird in her driveway and then slipped in to the driver seat, realising then just how much Callie trusted her.

She remembered her once saying that _no one_ drove her car.

Grinning and feeling a little smug, she started the engine, trying not to drool as it growled to life.

She backed out, reaching the hospital quickly.

She had been really looking forward to the day at home with Callie and Toby, and then getting Ella from school and hanging out for a cruisy day. Toby napped for around two hours still, meaning it would have been just the two of them, during the day, a very rare commodity.

The hearing had been a week ago, and Arizona was starting to feel like slowly, life was starting to make more sense for all of them.

They'd visited Teddy's last night at her new apartment. It was bright and airy and just across the block from Callie's, and Toby and Ella had quickly started to trash it. They'd all helped her put together an IKEA bed and then had pizza sitting on the floor. They stayed as late as the kids could really stay awake, and then Callie had stayed later with her, Teddy slightly jittery and unsure in the new space. But her smile had been surer than Arizona had ever seen on her.

Arizona walked in to the pit, pulling on a trauma gown just as Teddy walked through as well, pulling one of the yellow gowns on.

Arizona smiled at her, "Teddy!"

Teddy smiled at her, "Great, it was me that paged you."

Arizona playfully narrowed her eyes, looking around to make sure no one was looking, "So I can blame you for my having to leave Callie in my bed?"

Teddy made a face, "Yup. If I can't get any, you can't get any." They both started walking towards trauma room one, "I got jealous, so I made this eight year old have an aortic aneurysm."

Arizona's eyes, unbidden, lit up, "At eight?!"

Teddy nodded and Arizona followed her in, barely ashamed of how excited she was at the idea of this surgery.

She was still a hard core paeds surgeon, after all.

It was hours later that Arizona was back in the car, checking her phone in case Callie had text her with any child related freak outs. There was nothing there and Arizona started the drive home. Teddy was staying at the hospital, seeing as she was actually rostered on and all, and Arizona had told her to stop by for wine if she got out at a half decent time. Teddy had looked relieved and said she probably would.

She was mildly nervous at leaving Callie to look after the kids.

She didn't even know why, but she didn't want Callie to feel forced in to child minding duties just because she was dating the woman with kids in her life.

She pulled in to the driveway and checked her watch. It was just after six, and if the kids were behaving, they'd be settled down to dinner.

Arizona entered the front door, feeling very domestic as she called out, "Hey guys, I'm home."

She entered the kitchen and smiled to see Ella with sauce all over her face, happily chewing on a piece of crumbed fish, "Aunty Na! Doctor Callie got me from school!"

Arizona laughed, looking in to the kitchen to see Callie tipping a glass of wine back as she had a sip and she threw Callie a smile. She walked forward, dropping a kiss on Ella's forehead, "She did? Aren't you lucky."

Ella nodded and kicked her legs back and forth, going back to her dinner.

"Na!"

Arizona looked up and saw Toby, face even more covered in sauce than Ella's, grinning at her, "Hey munchkin! Look at you, all in once piece, you must have made Callie's life easy today, then!"

He held a hand out to her, fingers splayed and she leant over Ella, kissing his palm. He giggled and went back to shoving food in his mouth.

Arizona looked up and actually saw Callie's face for the first time.

She looked absolutely horrified.

Arizona raised her eyebrows, and Callie looked ready to burst in to tears.

"Hey Ella, watch Toby for a minute, okay? I just need to talk to Callie."

She looked to Ella who nodded, looking at Toby and not taking her eyes off him as she kept eating. Toby smiled and waved at his sister.

Arizona walked forward and took the glass of wine out of Callie's hand, placing it on the bench and tugging her through to the living room. She put her hands on Callie's shoulders, who looked at her with wide eyes, brimming with tears.

"Callie?"

"I lost Toby!"

She blurt it out so fast the words ran together and it took a moment for them to sink in. Arizona raised her eyebrows at her, and then leaned slightly so she could see through the doorway, where she could see Toby happily sitting in his highchair, cheeks packed with food and blue eyes sparkling, giggling at his sister. She looked back to Callie, "Uh, he looks pretty not lost?"

Callie shook her head and Arizona suddenly became genuinely concerned as she noticed Callie's lip trembling.

Words tumbled out of her.

"We were at the store, I had to pick up some stupid gadget for stupid Mark and I was standing at the counter, and Toby was right next to my leg. I had my hand on his head and then I reached in to my bag to get out my card and I handed it over in all of ten seconds and dropped my hand back down and he was _gone_. Like, just gone." Callie was utterly panicked and Arizona squeezed her shoulders to reassure her but wasn't able to get a word in edgeways, "And I looked around and I couldn't see him-he's so damn small, how does he move that quickly? And I felt like I was going to be sick, my heart was beating so fast and I asked the lady if she saw where he went and she just blinked at me uselessly and I couldn't see him and I called out like four times and then he giggled. Arizona, he giggled like he hadn't just scared the freaking hell out of me and he was standing behind a rack of blow dryers. I almost lost him and you only just got them back a month ago and I almost _lost-"_

Arizona leant forward and did the only thing she could think to do to shut Callie up. She kissed her, hard, on the mouth, until she felt her relax, slightly.

She pulled back slowly and looked at Callie, trying not to smile. She had never seen Callie so worked up.

"You didn't lose him. He was right there-"

"Yeah, but, what if-"

"But nothing happened. He was right there."

"Arizona-"

"Callie. He did that to me a few weeks ago. He hid in a rack of coats and it was only the damn giggle that made me find him."

Callie finally took a breath, "Yeah?"

"Yeah. And Ella, when she was two, had to be found by the mall guards cause she pulled a Houdini on Sally. She was missing ten minutes."

"But, what if he-what if-"

Arizona pulled Callie forward, wrapping her arms around her and kissing her again. Callie's lips returned it this time, moving against hers. Arizona pulled back slightly, resting their foreheads together.

Callie swallowed heavily, "Kids are hard work."

Arizona chuckled, nodding, "Yeah. They are. They have the ability to scare the crap out of you and make everything really good, all in the same minute."

Callie nodded.

"Callie, you don't have to take them, like today, I really appreciate it, but-"

Callie shook her head, "No. No, I had fun, after the horror feeling that Toby was gone, we had fun. It was hard and I hadn't realised how much entertaining they need, and did you know Ella hates picking up her stuff?"

Arizona nodded, "Oh, yeah. She hates putting her toys away."

"We had a ten minute discussion about why it was her job."

"Yeah, I've been working on that one."

"I almost lost Toby."

Arizona brought her hands up and cupped her cheeks, looking intently at Callie's eyes, looking much more relaxed than five minutes ago, "Callie, you didn't lose him, you found him."

"Well, I did lose him. _Then_ I found him."

"Which is all that matters."

Callie nodded slowly and Arizona kissed her again, smiling in to it.

Callie pulled back this time, "What?"

"Nothing, you're just adorable when you freak out."

"Am not."

"Are too-normally it's me freaking out."

"Shut up."

Arizona laughed and moved to kiss her again, both of them pausing as they hear Ella call out from the the kitchen.

"Aunty _Na!_ Toby just threw the last of his potato at me-oh! That means we're both finished, can we have ice cream now?"

They were silent a moment, waiting, looking at each other with raised eyebrows.

"_Pleeease?_"

Arizona laughed, "There it is."  
####


	27. Chapter 27

**Title: **Changes  
**Author: **gabs88  
**Pairing: **Callie/Arizona  
**Summary: **When Arizona's brother dies in a car crash with his wife, she is named guardian of his two children. What does this mean for the life of someone who never wanted her own kids, let alone anyone elses?  
**Rating: **M.  
**Disclaimer: **All characters belong to ABC/Shonda Rhimes.  
**Authors note: **This story is winding up, and I just want to say a huge thankyou to everyone who has supported it and stuck with it. Thank you for all the reviews, the thoughts and the ongoing alerts. They are such a pleasure to read.

I know there's a lot of side stories that could go along with this fic, but if I went down that road this story would go on forever. Sadly, this plot, about Arizona and her journey, is almost complete :). You're all freaking awesome.

**Changes  
Chapter Twenty Seven**

Warm lips were running up her spine and Arizona felt naked thighs straddling her legs. A slow smile appeared and she burrowed her face in to the pillow and yawned, waking up in what could possibly be the most pleasant way possible. Those lips reached the back of her neck and warm breath washed over her skin, making her shiver.

"Morning." Callie's voice husked out next to her ear.

Arizona turned her head and Callie kissed her cheek.

"Morning."

She rolled on to her back, Callie adjusting so she was straddling her hips, hands pressing either side of Arizona's head so she leaned out flush against her, holding herself up, her hair falling like a curtain around them as she smiled down at her. Arizona lifted a hand and tucked some of it behind Callie's ear.

"You were sleeping late."

Arizona rolled her head and saw the clock reading ten in the morning, her eyes widened slightly and she looked back at Callie, voice low with sleep, "I really was."

"I thought I'd wake you up."

Arizona wrapped her hands in Callie's hair and pulled her down, kissing her. Callie hummed against her lips, smiling as Arizona pulled her back down when she went to pull away. When they finally parted, Callie still had a smile on her face.

Arizona looked amused, "I never sleep later than you."

"Yeah, well, you had a rough week."

She nodded, hand running slowly from the back of Callie's shoulder and down her arm, resting over her head as she wrapped her fingers around Callie's wrist, "Yeah. It was long."

Callie pressed her nose against Arizona neck and kissed behind her ear before pulling back again, "Long and no time for us."

Arizona scrunched her eyebrows together, "I'm sorry."

Shaking her head, Callie quickly answered, "No, don't be. It wasn't your fault."

"You got stuck with the girlfriend with a crazy life."

Callie kissed her once, "I like my girlfriend and her crazy life."

"Even the crazy kids?"

Callie nodded, "I love the crazy kids."

"Even though Toby threw up on you?"

Callie made a face, "That was not my favourite Toby moment, I wont lie."

Arizona chuckled and tugged Callie down so she was laying on her side, half sprawled over Arizona, head resting in her hand to keep looking down at her. Arizona sighed, "They were so sick." She wrinkled her nose, "It was so gross."

Callie finally flopped her head down on the pillow and Arizona rolled on to her side, hooking a leg over Callie's hip as she snuggled in, face pressed in to her neck. Callie's hand ran through her hair to rest against her back, tugging her in harder against her.

"It was really gross. Days and days of stomach flu and crazy hours were a fair excuse to not have much time for us this last week."

Arizona grinned in to Callie's neck, "We made up for it last night."

"So maybe it wasn't just your crazy week that made you sleep late."

"We _did_ only fall asleep after four."

Callie smiled smugly, "Yeah we did. The joy of the kids requesting a sleep over at your moms."

Arizona pulled back so they were inches apart on the pillow, eyes on Callie's, "They do love a sleep over at Nana's."

Callie smiled and pushed Arizona's hair back, hand resting gently against her neck, "I did miss you this week."

Arizona nodded and leant forward, kissing her, arms wrapping around each other and pulling each other in, "Me too. I liked going to dinner last night. We actually got to have a conversation."

They lay for a few minutes, enjoying a house that was silent and having a few moments where it was just them, naked and warm in the morning. Arizona loved the kids, but not being jumped on at six am was feeling especially nice. Ella had settled in to sleeping better than she had been immediately after the trial and Toby, now, three months on from it was back to his old self. She pressed her lips to Callie's chest, sighing contentedly. Them being back to their old selves, even slowly, meant lots of energy and early wake ups.

Callie broke the silence, "I wish I didn't work at twelve."

Arizona sighed, pulling back to look at her, "Yeah, me too. I have to get the kids in about an hour, anyway, Mom has an appointment."

Callie's fingers trailed up and down her sides, fingers tracing ribs, "What are you going to do with your afternoon?"

"Meeting Teddy and we were going to take them to the zoo."

Callie's eyes lit up, "I love the zoo!'

Arizona laughed, "You are such a kid sometimes."

Shrugging, Callie didn't even look embarrassed, "It's why Ella and Tobes love me."

"That and you're awesome."

Callie rolled her eyes, before looking a tad more serious as she remembered something, "And it's twelve months today?"

Arizona gave a nod, "Twelve months since Henry died. I'm, uh, going with her, before the zoo, to the cemetary. I was going to take the kids to see Tim and Sally."

Callie gave a soft smile, "That's a good idea. I wish I could come."

Arizona kissed her softly, "You'll be there next week."

Callie smiled as Arizona leant forward and kissed her again.

Arizona finally pulled back as she felt Callie's hand running down her hip and over her thigh, "If we start we won't stop." She murmured the words as Callie's lips started to trail against her jaw and her neck.

"I see nothing wrong with that."

"Work and, uh-" She moaned softly as Callie sucked gently on her pulse point, "I have to get the kids."

Callie kept kissing down her neck, lips on her shoulder and then her collar bone, "Shower?"

Arizona nodded, "Shower. We'll be saving time."

Callie gave a laugh, "Yeah, let's look at it like that."

Arizona rolled away quickly, Callie half falling in to the warm spot she left behind. Arizona smirked at the bewildered look on her face. She swung her legs over the edge of the bed and stood up, Callie's surprised face changing to a grin as she stared at her very naked girlfriend.

Arizona smiled at her and started walking towards the bathroom, "Join me in five?"

Callie watched her walk away and nodded, "Twist my arm."

Arizona threw a smirk over her shoulder and shut the door, Callie rolling on to her stomach and burying her face in Arizona's pillow.

Arizona quickly used the toilet then turned the shower on, hearing Callie's voice float through the door, "Your cell phone's ringing!"

Arizona slipped in to the stream of water, "Can you see who it is in case it's Mom?"

There was silence for a moment, and then the sound of the door opening, Callie entering with a strange look on her face. Arizona pushed the screen door open completely to look at her, "Who was it?"

Callie didn't step in to the shower, instead leaning stark naked against the wall and looking at Arizona with her head cocked, "How often does your ex call?"

Arizona could tell she was trying to keep her voice light and neutral, and Arizona looked at her quizzically from the shower, rubbing shampoo in to her hair, "What?"

"I'm just, you know, wondering, for future reference. Does Jayde call a lot, or-"

Callie was smiling and Arizona could see the mental freak out occurring underneath it. She raised her eyebrows, "That was Jayde?"

"Mhm."

"Did you answer?"

"Of course not." A grin appeared, "Though it did occur to me to answer with 'sorry, Arizona can't talk right now, I'm about to take her against the shower wall after six hours of sex last night.'"

Arizona actually laughed, "Can you come in here so we can have this naked conversation at least next to each other."

Callie shook her head, "Not yet."

Arizona gauged her. She definitely wasn't mad, "Wait-Callie, are you jealous?"

Callie gave a half shrug, "No, I just, you know, wanna know if you guys chat all the time. Catch up."

Arizona tried not to smile at the clear cut jealousy all over Callie, "I haven't spoked to her in months."

Callie gave a small smile, "Really?"

Arizona nodded, "Really."

Callie took a step forward, "So I shouldn't worry about her trying to get you back?"

Arizona tried to control the look that flashed over her face but apparently she was too late.

"What was that?"

Arizona widened her eyes, "What?"

"That look?"

Arizona sighed, "She's not trying to get me back. She's being an idiot. A well meaning one, I think. But still being an idiot." She dipped her head under the spray and rinsed the shampoo out. When she reemerged Callie was basically twitching.

"Has she tried?"

Arizona held her hand out, "Would you come here so I can calm your minor panic?"

Callie finally reached a hand out and stepped forward, Arizona tugging her in to the shower and wrapping her arms around her. She pressed her lips to her neck in a wet kiss before pulling back, arms around her neck, "Are you breathing?"

Callie nodded, "Yes. Just-she tried?"

Arizona shook her head, "No, not to get me back. Though she did call me and leave a voice mail before the trial, when you and I were broken up."

Callie looked outraged, "Okay! That was like, three months ago! And you never told me?"

Arizona tried to not get defensive, "I completely forgot. She basically offering me sex as a distraction."

Callie's mouth actually dropped open, "She offered _you_, my girlfriend, and offered sex and you never told me?"

Arizona wrapped her arms tighter around her and held the indignant Callie closer, "Callie, I never replied. I ignored her and completely forgot about it. There were bigger things going on and I forgot." She brought her hands up and cupped Callie's cheeks, looking at her sincerely, "I'm sorry."

Callie still looked pissed, "I'm not-I"m not mad at _you_." She paused as if trying to figure out what she _was_ feeling, "Just-she propositioned you!"

Arizona nodded, "To be fair-I don't know if she knew I was seeing someone. Because I _haven't talked to her_."

She stressed out the last part.

Callie half pouted, "So why is she calling you?"

Arizona shrugged, "I don't know. She text me last night-"

Callie's eyebrows shot up and Arizona rushed to finish the story.

"And I got it as I was dropping the kids of at Moms and then clear forgot about it because I was in a rush to get home and be with you for the first time since Toby threw up on your lap."

And just like that, Arizona saw Callie melt slightly. She pursed her lips, "So what did she want?"

Arizona sighed and grabbed some body wash and poured it on a loofah, running it over Callie's chest and back, "She text me to say she was sorry for the message during the trial, since she hadn't heard back from me she figured she had pissed me off. She said she wasn't trying to offend me, she just felt like she had dropped me in all this when we broke up and she wanted to support me."

Callie's eyebrows raised again, "WIth sex?"

Arizona shrugged, "I don't know. Apparently."

Realisation dawned on Callie's face.

"Because she knows how you deal with emotions with sex." Callie was struggling to bite down the jealousy she was feeling, "Because she was with you for three years and knows that."

Arizona rolled her eyes, "She doesn't know me. Not anymore, not really." She dropped the loofah to the floor and pulled Callie in, "You know me." She smiled at Callie and Callie couldn't help but smile back, "You know me, not her.A nd when she text me all I was thinking was how I wanted Ella and Toby back and how much I missed _you." _ Arizona leaned forward and kissed her, running wet hands over Callie's side and over her shoulders to bury in her hair. She slipped her tongue in her mouth and felt Callie moan, returning the kiss with as much force.

She finally pulled back, eyes sparkling, "Calliope Torres, do you have a jealous side?"

Callie opened her mouth to protest, "I-she's seen you naked!"

Arizona thought about it for a second then nodded, "Fair enough."

Callie's hands dropped to Arizona's hips, pushing her back against the wall. Arizona hit it with just a little force and smirked. Callie pressed herself flush against her, and Arizona wrapped her arms around her waist, pulling her in tighter, wet thighs pressed together as the water streamed on to Callie's back.

Callie kissed her and Arizona felt herself melt in to the wall. Jealousy apparently made Callie want to claim what was hers, and that was very okay with her. More than okay. She took hold of Callie's hand and ran it down her stomach, looking at her with darkened eyes, "Only you see me naked now."

Arizona closed her eyes and leaned her head back against the shower wall, Callie's lips on her neck. She heard her say, "Good." As teeth dragged against her skin and Arizona let out a low moan as fingers ran between her legs.

They emerged from the shower thirty minutes later, Arizona with a Callie's lip shaped bruise on her collar bone and slightly wobbly legs.

They dressed quickly and Arizona grabbed her phone, looking down at the missed call. She started tapping at the touch screen and Callie threw her a quizzical look as she towel dried her hair wearing just her underwear.

"You look very serious."

Arizona held up one finger to tell her not to interrupt and Callie closed her mouth, watching her type furiously at her phone before she stopped, scrolling back up to the top of the message. She looked up to see Callie still looking at her.

Arizona held her phone up to read from, "Okay. 'Sorry I missed your call, Jayde. I wasn't mad just very caught up in the trial. I understand you were trying to help but propositions from my ex aren't really very conducive to helpfulness in that situation. Also, I'm seeing someone and have been for the last few months, so between the kids and her I'm kept happily busy. I hope all's well with you, take care.'"

She looked up to Callie and her thumb moved, "Sent."

A slow smile spread over Callie's lips and she sauntered forward, pulling Arizona in to her arms, "Happily busy, huh?"

Arizona grinned, nodding, "Very."

Callie kissed her then, hands curling in to Arizona's hair. She finally stepped back slightly, resting her forehead on Arizona's, "Sorry about the minor freak out."

Arizona shrugged, "You can be crazy sometimes."

Callie smacked her ass lightly and stepped away, smiling.

They finished getting dressed and parted ways in the driveway with a quick kiss, Callie headed for the hospital and Arizona for her mothers to get Toby and Ella. Arizona drove with the radio off, enjoying her last few minutes of silence for the day.

She really had just clear forgotten about Jayde and her weird proposition. Her ex was not a bad person, at all, and Arizona believed the logic of her text she had sent the night before. But it did kind of make her smile to see Callie get jealous. If only because it was incredibly hot and gave her warm fuzzies that Callie cared that much. Not that she had doubts she cared, but it was still fun to see.

Arizona pulled up and she got out of the car, seeing Ella pressed up against the window in the living room, hands to the glass. Toby, so much smaller, was kneeling next to her. They both grinned and waved. Toby got a tad too excited and smacked his open hand against the glass, his head turning as, Arizona assumed, he was told off by Barbara.

Arizona waved back and then the door was opening and Barbara was smiling at her, "Brace yourself."

Arizona looked at her, confused, and then Ella tore around the corner, Toby hot on her heels and they both collided with her knees.

Arizona mocked trying to stop herself from falling backwards, smiling down a the two excited children, "Hey, guys! Miss me?"

Ella shook her head, "Not till just now then I remembered I do!"

Arizona laughed at that, "Well, good, 'cause that means you had fun with Nana."

Toby was trying to climb up her leg, fingers gripping the material of her pants and tugging, "Cake, Na! Nana cake."

Arizona acquiesced to the subtle request Toby was making and bent down, pulling him on to her hip, "You made cake with Nana?!"

He nodded, "Cake." His little face then looked troubled and he held his foot out, "Owie foot."

Arizona looked down at the shoe covered foot, "What happened?"

He pointed at it, "Owie."

Arizona looked at Barbara, who explained, "He had his first stubbed toe."

Arizona grimaced and cupped his foot gently, giving it a soft squeeze, "Poor Toby. Did you get a band aid."

Ella gripped her hand, "He did. I put a Dora The Explorer one on his toe for him."

Arizona gasped, "_You_ put it on! Ella, soon you can go to the hospital and work instead of me."

Ella shook her head, "No, don't be silly, I have to go to school."

"Hm. True." She slid Toby down to the floor, "Okay, you two go get your things, Ella you help Toby, and we'll go meet Teddy."

"Zoo!"

Ella ran off and Toby followed her, Ella realising what had been asking her and stopped, holding her hand out for Toby to take and the two took the stairs slowly. Toby held the rail with one hand and Ella's hand with the other, taking them one at a time. Arizona and Barbara watched them, Arizona relieved that Toby really had settled and gotten back on track. The blanket was just down to bed time now, not being dragged everywhere unless he was having a tantrum day. His words had started coming in leaps and bounds and he didn't panic if Arizona was a few metres away from him anymore.

Ella was bouncing in her excitement, "We're going to the zoo, Tobes. What sounds does a lion make?"

"Rawr!"

Arizona grinned at the attempted roar and turned back to Barbara, "You guys had fun then?"

Barbara nodded and started walking in to the kitchen, Arizona following, closing the front door behind her as she did so.

"We did. Ella ate more cake batter then went in to it, and Toby smeared it on the bench, but we managed to make something out of it. You want some?"

Arizona shook her head, "No, thanks. We're meeting Teddy and I need to stop by the shops first."

"Today the day?"

Arizona nodded, "One year since Henry died. I was going to get her a flower? To give from us. Do you think that's a good idea?"

Barbara looked at her and smiled, "It's a really good idea."

"I was going to go with her, with the kids. I thought we could all put a flower down for Tim and Sally."

Barbara gave her a glass of water, the glass trembling slightly, "That's a beautiful idea. I took Ella last month after school."

"It's good for them, right?"

She nodded, "It is."

"Did you want to come?"

Barbara shook her head, "No, thank you. This is more for Teddy. I was going to go next week, at the six month date for Tim and Sally."

Barbara's lips were suddenly pursed and Arizona put her glass down, pulling her mother in to a hug. She ran her hands up and down her back, Barbara pulling away fairly quickly and swiping at her cheeks. She gave Arizona a tight smile and Arizona squeezed her arm as the kids came back in, back packs on.

"Ready!"

Arizona smiled at them, and Barbara turned back to the sink to take a second.

"Great job, guys."

Just as she was about to tell them to cuddle Nana and say goodbye and thank you, her father walked around the corner and in to the kitchen. He stood awkwardly, looking at them all.

Since the trial, and all he had said, he had been trying. He came to the odd dinner with Barbara, and when Arizona picked up Ella after school, she'd often find them reading the paper together or in the garden. He picked up Toby occasionally, and he spoke to Arizona now, basic conversations and pleasantries.

Arizona wasn't sure whether to hope for more from him or not.

He had finally met Callie at dinner the other night and had put his hand on Arizona's shoulder as he left, with just the words, "She seems nice."

He smiled at his grandchildren and then looked at Arizona, "Can I speak with you?"

She nodded. She hadn't been alone with him since he picked her up at the airport after flying back without Jayde almost six months ago.

She looked to Ella and Toby, "You two smother Nana in as many hugs and kisses as you can and then we'll go when I'm back, okay?"

They nodded, Ella moving to Barbara quickly, who had squatted down in the kitchen with her arms open. Toby barreled in after her.

Arizona followed her father down the hall way, hating that feeling nervous with her father was a habit that stemmed from long before Tim died. He entered his office and she followed him in, standing on one side of his giant desk while he walked around to the other, standing straight with his arms by his sides.

He looked at her for minute, his head tilted slightly to the side and in it, Arizona saw how Tim would look at her when trying to make a point. How Ella and even Toby looked at people sometimes.

A gesture she herself did.

She met his eye and stood, waiting.

He cleared his throat, "The kids are doing well."

She nodded, "Yes, sir. Toby is hitting a delightful point of tantrums."

He managed a small smile, "He's what, twenty months?"

Arizona nodded, "Twenty one now."

"Same age that you and Tim became nightmares."

Arizona gave a laugh, "That's what Mom said."

He nodded, "Especially Tim. He threw a good one."

Arizona nodded, "That's where Toby got it from, then."

Her father looked sad, his expression softening, something she never saw on him. except for at the trial. He was so good at schooling himself in a hard outer coating of no emotions that Arizona, sometimes, forgot that buried underneath that he must have his feelings.

Her mother was right, they were so very alike.

Tim had gotten their mothers slight softer side. He had been a bit more sensitive, still edged with his fathers military upbringing, of course. But he had always been a touch more like their mother while Arizona had seemed to take after their father and his tendency to bury his feelings.

Lately, though, Arizona had started to realise she had a lot more of both of them then she had originally thought.

"He's got a lot of Tim in him." His voice didn't waver, not once.

Arizona nodded.

She wasn't sure why she was in here.

Her father opened a drawer on his desk and pulled something out, holding it in his fist. Walking around the desk he stood in front of her, and Arizona noticed, _he_ was nervous, being near her.

She knew she reminded him so much of Tim.

The daughter that had always been said was the twin of her brother.

He held his hand out and she held her palm under his fist. He didn't open it.

He cleared his throat again, "I-I wanted you, to have this. Tim and you, you were close. I know this." He looked her in the eye, "I know you lost him, too. And I know I've been absent. But I wanted you to have this."

He opened his fist and Arizona felt the warmth hit her hand. She looked down as he dropped his hand back to his side. Sitting in her open palm, the metal warm from his skin, was Tim's dog tags.

Her fingers curled around them.

Tim may have stepped down to an administrative role, not an easy thing to do, because of his worry about leaving the kids and his wife. But the army had still been his life, beyond them. Serving for Country, and for a father whose approval he constantly sort, these dog tags symbolised what made her brother _her_ brother as much those two kids downstairs did.

She swallowed, and looked up. Her fathers blue eyes were unchanged.

He gave her a nod and she returned it.

"Are you sure?"

"You need something, of his."

She gave a soft smile, "I have Toby and Ella."

"You need something for you, too."

She swallowed again and he gave another nod, walking around his desk and sitting down, opening up his lap top.

She watched him for a minute, lifting the chain up to slip around her neck, the tags tinkling together as they fell to sit under her shirt, just between her breasts. He was focussed on what was in front of him.

"Bye, Dad."

He looked up, "Bye."

She went to walk out.

"Oh, Arizona?"

She turned, hand on the door handle, "Yeah?"

He kept his eyes on his lap top screen, "That woman's a keeper."

She smiled as she walked out.

Her hand rest over her shirt, where she could feel the outline of the tags sitting.

She hadn't been expecting that.

She walked in to the kitchen and found Barbara sitting on the floor, leaning against the cupboard doors with Toby on her lap and Ella seated next to her, all three with giant pieces of cake in their hands, pushed in to their mouths.

They all stopped mid bite and looked at her.

Arizona raised her eyebrows.

Barbara leaned over and whispered loudly in Ella's ear, "We obviously didn't east fast enough, we were caught out."

Ella nodded, "Quick! Scoff!"

They downed the last of their cake and Arizona put her hands on her hips, looking at Barbara who smiled at her charmingly as she licked frosting off her thumb, "So I get the sugar rush?"

Barbara winked, "Exactly."

They got the already hyper kids in to the car and Arizona hovered at the drivers door, giving Barbara an extra hug, "So next week? We all go on Saturday?"

Barbara nodded, "I'll come by your place and we'll go with the kids?"

"That sounds like a plan. Ella wants to take a painting to leave."

Barbara gave a sad smile, "They would love that."

Arizona chewed on her bottom lip, "Would you mind if-"

"If Callie didn't come, I'd be horrified."

Arizona looked relieved, "Really?"

"Really."

"She offered and I hadn't realised I wanted her to until then."

Barbara squeezed her arm.

"Sometimes it takes someone giving you a nudge to realise what you want."

####

Arizona lay on her stomach much the same as she had that morning, only this time in a shirt and underwear. She heard the door downstairs open and close and smiled, knowing Callie had just let herself in with the spare key kept in a fake rock.

She looked at the time, it was eleven at night.

The afternoon had been draining, though not in the way it would have been months ago. Arizona, Ella and Toby had sat, both of them somehow fitting in her lap, between the two headstones of Sally and Tim. Ella, who had been with Barbara and once with Arizona, liked to talk to them. The first time she had gone, she had been nervous and jittery. Now, she settled in, a way to be lose to her parents.

Arizona had sat with her chin resting on Toby's head, listening to Ella tell her mother and father about school.

Teddy was at Henry's grave, the other side of the cemetery, and had wanted to go alone. She'd arrived with a smile and wearing a red top she had told Arizona used to make Henry forget whatever he had been thinking.

She ran a hand through Ella's hair and rest it on her back, between her small shoulder blades as she talked, and kissed Toby's head as he chewed on a muesli bar before resting her chin back against it.

Arizona wished these two children didn't know what death was. Not like this. She wished it wasn't a part of their lives, that Ella didn't have this understanding about cemeteries. That she didn't have the knowledge that came with it.

When Ella had found out Teddy's husband had passed away, Ella had hugged Teddy and then said, "I think my daddy and your Henry would be friends in heaven."

Arizona had been hesitant, to take them here, at first. She had spoken to Barbara about it and to the school counselor and both of them had said it was a good idea, some place to solidify their understanding and to also feel they had somewhere they could make contact with their parents if they wanted to.

Arizona had still felt uneasy, and her mother had asked her if she remembered going to her grandparents graves, once, when she was kid and they were stationed near the town Barbara had grown up in.

Arizona had said, "Vaguely."

And Barbara had nodded and said, "Exactly. It didn't scar you. It helped answer some of your questions and, I think, helped everything make sense."

Ella had been twice with Barbara and once with Arizona now.

Arizona found it almost peaceful. The grass was kept green and it was filled with trees and a soft breeze always seemed to b making its way through. The dog tags sat warm against her skin and Arizona wished she could ask her brother if he found it weird she was wearing them.

Toby suddenly pushed up from Arizona's lap and she watched him, steadier now on his little twenty one month old legs, run up to Teddy, walking towards them. She had scooped him up and sat right next to Arizona, her cheeks dry and eyes clear.

Ella had stopped talking and leaned back in to Arizona, "Do you think they hear?"

Arizona had wrapped her arms around her, "I think they do. Do you?"

Ella nodded in her arms, "Mommy always listened before so why would she stop?"

Arizona had closed her eyes and dropped a kiss to the top of Ella's head. She pushed a hand to the side and rest it over Teddy's.

"Exactly."

They had all sat until Toby got squirmy, and then gone to the zoo.

Teddy had stayed late, having dinner and then a glass of wine with Arizona after the kids had gone down. She'd gone home and Arizona had headed to bed, tired after her late night and draining day.

And now her bedroom door was opening, and she heard clothes dropping to the ground. She lay still as she heard Callie brushing her teeth in the bathroom. The bed shifted and the covers lifted, and Callie settled on her side, flush against Arizona, her hand running gently through her hair to rest, fingers splayed over her lower back.

Her lips pressed to Arizona's head and Arizona turned, looking at her.

"Hey." She smiled.

Callie smiled at her, "Hey. You're awake."

Arizona nodded, "I was waiting for you."

"Bold move with hospital hours."

Arizona nodded and yawned, "Very."

Callie leaned down and kissed her, pulling back to ask, "Did you hear back from your text?"

Arizona shook her head, "Nope."

Callie wrapped her arms around her and rolled on to her back so Arizona was laying on her. Arizona gave a quiet giggle and settled on her, thigh falling between Callie's.

"That's because she knows your mine."

Arizona rolled her eyes and kissed her, sucking on her lower lip gently before running her tongue along it, "Exactly."

Callie smiled and her hands ran over Arizona's back, "How was today?"

Arizona gave a half shrug, "It was okay. Ella likes going, I think. So see them. Toby doesn't get it."

"How was Teddy?"

Arizona kissed Callie's jaw, before pulling back and answering, "Honestly? She was okay."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah. You could tell it was hard, but-she's okay."

Callie nodded, "Good."

Arizona bent down and kissed her again, and something made a slight noise as it fell between them. Callie's hand came up to run along the chain around Arizona's neck, "Is this-?"

Arizona nodded, "Tim's dog tags. Uh-Dad gave them to me."

Callie ran the chain through her fingers before taking the tags and moving them back and forth, not able to read them in the light, "That's nice."

"It was, actually."

Callie let the chain fall back between them, shifting her legs so Arizona lay between them, wrapping them around her. She kissed her, once, before looking a little nervous, "Did you still want me to come next week?"

Arizona nodded, letting her weight drop off her arms, "definitely."

Callie smiled as Arizona kissed her again. Arizona ran her nails lightly up Callie's side, rocking her hips and swallowing Callie's soft gasp. Callie's hand ran up to bury in Arizona's hair and Arizona rocked her hips again, slowly.

A knock sounded at the door.

They stopped, foreheads resting against each other.

"Was that-?"

Callie nodded.

"Thank God we finally taught her knocking."

Arizona smirked and stood up and grabbed Callie's shirt, throwing it to her.

"One second Ella." She called it softly.

Arizona opened a drawer and pulled out two pairs of shorts, one reaching Callie and one she pulled on herself.

She opened the door to see a sleep tousled Ella standing there, blinking at them blurrily.

Arizona squatted down and opened her arms and Ella stumbled in to them. She smoothed her messy hair of her face, "What's up Ella Bella?"

Ella shrugged, "I can't sleep."

Arizona wrapped her up tighter, "Well, that's no good. Want me to come read you a story?"

Ella nodded, then shook her head.

"No?"

"Can Doctor Callie read me one?"

Arizona smiled, "Let's ask Doctor Callie."

They both turned to the bed, where Callie was already standing up and walking over to them, holding her hand out, "Come on Miss Ella, I think we're up to a chapter six in _Matilda._"

Ella nodded sleepily and took her hand, Callie looking behind to wink at Arizona who mouthed, "Thank you."

Arizona stood and watched them walk down the hallway, then checked on Toby, sprawled out in his cot, sleeping soundly.

She would probably have to get him a big bed soon.

The idea of that made her slightly sad.

And also slightly horrified about how on Earth she was going to keep him in it for bed time.

She pulled his blanket up over him and went back to bed, hearing Callie's soft reading voice in the hall as she walked through it. She left her door open so she could listen and crawled back in to bed, waiting for Callie to come back and join her.

The chain rest warm against her skin.

####


	28. Chapter 28

**Title: **Changes  
**Author: **gabs88  
**Pairing: **Callie/Arizona  
**Summary: **When Arizona's brother dies in a car crash with his wife, she is named guardian of his two children. What does this mean for the life of someone who never wanted her own kids, let alone anyone elses?  
**Rating: **M.  
**Disclaimer: **All characters belong to ABC/Shonda Rhimes.  
**Authors note: **Holy crap. This is it. This will be the closing chapter. There wont be an Epilogue, as this is exactly how I wanted to finish this story :)  
Thanks so much, everyone, for all your reviews and posts and alerts and pm's (that apostrophe was important there, I almost left it out and it sounded like I was calling you all hormonal). Everyone has been so supportive of this fic and it's been awesome. I've had an amazing time writing it. Exploring grief was an interesting roller coaster and not the brightest of topics so thank you to everyone for sticking with it, and for all your feedback-your words are all so motivating and really do encourage us writers. I hope you have all enjoyed :).

**Changes  
Chapter Twenty Eight  
The Last.**

"What if-"

"Stop it."

"But he could-"

"Stop it."

"But-"

"Arizona! It's fine. everything is going to be fine."

Arizona made a 'humph' noise and leaned back on the couch.

Teddy and Callie, either side of Arizona on the couch, looked at each other over their wine glasses and tried not to laugh.

Arizona opened her mouth and Teddy clapped her hand over it, raising an eyebrow at her. Her eyebrows showed how unhappy the motion made her, and she brought her hand up and tugged at Teddy's, glaring at her. Finally managing to pry the hand away, she wrinkled her nose.

"Why does your hand smell like ice cream?"

Teddy's eyes widened, "It doesn't."

"Uh, yeah it does." Arizona sat up straighter and Callie looked at them in amusement, "Did you feed them ice cream?"

"Uh-no. I had some after they went to bed."

"You're a terrible liar. They'd already had some before you got here and I told you that. You let their big cute eyes wear you down."

Teddy shrugged and sipped her wine, "What Ella, Toby and I do when you're not here is between us."

Arizona rolled her eyes, "You three are a combination that terrifies me."

"You love it."

"I wouldn't say as much, but thank you for taking them tonight, you saved me. I had no time."

"Anytime."

Callie put her wine glass down, "Weren't you going to sort everything on Tuesday?"

Arizona nodded, "Yes, but then I had that emergency, remember? Mom had to pick Toby up and I was stuck at the hospital until nine."

"Oh, yeah."

"And then you were going to go Wednesday for me, but you got paged in even though it was your day off."

"And your mum ended up having to take your dad to the doctor yesterday."

"So that left the last minute."

Teddy laughed, "You're so type A. Tonight wasn't the last minute. Tomorrow morning would be."

Arizona raised her eyes, "I am type A, so therefore, yes, it was last minute."

Callie rest her hand on Arizona's leg, "But, we got everything you needed, plus more, and everything is sorted now."

"Well, it's not, we still have to-"

"Arizona!"

Callie and Teddy said it in unison and Arizona rolled her eyes and gave in, "Yes, okay, we'll sort the rest tonight and it will be fine."

Teddy raised her glass, "Atta girl."'

Arizona sat chewing her lip and Callie sighed dramatically, "Arizona, it's a two year olds birthday party. He won't even remember it."

Arizona sat up straighter, "Okay, he may not remember it in detail, but these experiences shape kids! We still have to make the pass the parcel and goodie bags, and the cake! Shouldn't _I_ be making the cake? We could always cancel and I could make-"

"No!" Callie and Teddy both smirked as they yelled it in unison again.

Arizona huffed and leaned back in the couch again, pushing Callie's hand off her knee and sipping her wine, "My cooking is _not_ that bad."

Teddy choked on her wine as she sipped it and Callie looked the other way as she sipped her own.

"You both suck."

Wine glass going back on the coffee table, which had been pushed slightly to one side for the sake of making room, Callie looked at Arizona, "You, have got to calm down." She smiled at her, putting her hand back on her knee, "We are going to make the goody bags and games tonight while polishing off this wine." Callie gestured widely to the bags and bags of things they had come back with on their shopping venture while Teddy had babysat, "And we have already assembled his damn present. We have blisters to prove it."

"This is a big deal! He's turning two."

Teddy rolled her eyes, "And he's going to have an amazing day at the park and playing games and eating sugar and having lots of attention and presents. He barely knows what a birthday is. _He_ is going to have a great time. _You_ need to have another glass of wine and calm the hell down and tell me if I should have said no to a date tomorrow night."

Arizona and Callie looked at her, mouths open partly in shock. Arizona was the first to get her act together, closing her mouth and shaking her head slightly. She smiled, hesitantly, "You-you said yes to a date?"

Teddy took a very long sip of her wine, eyes wide over the glass as she nodded even with the glass to her lips. Her look was almost panicked.

Callie's got a slow, half smile over her face, "Teddy-that's awesome."

Teddy finally detached from her glass, "Is it, though?"

She looked incredibly uncertain.

Arizona nodded, leaning forward and putting her hand on Teddy's knee, giving it a squeeze, "Teddy, it is such a good thing."

Teddy ran her finger over the rim of her glass, "I was going to cancel."

Callie shook her head, "No. Don't cancel. Just-just think of it as dinner. Dinner with a manly shaped friend."

Arizona looked at Callie then back at Teddy, nodding, "Exactly. Don't put pressure on it."

Teddy nodded looking from one to the other like she wanted them to keep talking.

Arizona smiled at her, tilting her head slightly, "And if you feel like shit, come over here and have a Toby cuddle and we'll consume our body weight in wine and watch _Friends._"

Teddy let out a slow breath, "Okay."

Callie bounced slightly in her seat, "What are you going to wear?"

Teddy's face went back to panicked and Callie quickly back peddled, "Nope, never mind, that's pressure."

"What _do_ I wear?!"

Arizona nudged Callie with her elbow and looked Teddy in they eye, "You wear your black dress pants and killer black heels with your dark green, buttoned, collared shirt. Leave the top two buttons undone and wear it tucked in with that thin black belt."

Callie and Teddy blinked at her.

"What? You look good in that outfit."

Teddy nodded, "Okay."

"Do we get to know who he is?"

"I met him at my grocery store. He took the last tub of ice cream I was going for but insisted I took it."

"Aw!" Arizona nudged Callie again and kept her smile on her face, Callie making her face less delighted, "I mean. Continue."

Teddy ignored her, "Anyway, I ran in to him there a few times and he eventually asked me and I meant to say no, but yes fell out and then he had my number and now I'm going out tomorrow night."

Arizona and Callie were both trying to downplay their smiles.

"Do you need distracting?" Arizona could see she was near panic.

Teddy sipped her wine again and nodded, "Yes please."

Standing up, Arizona started gathering bags, "Right, Callie you're putting the toys in the goody bags. Teddy, you're putting in the candy."

Callie slid off the edge of the couch to sit on the floor, pulling more bags towards her, "And what are you going to do?"

"I'm going to make the pass the parcel." Arizona bounced on her feet.

Teddy slid down next to Callie and started sorting non choke hazard toys in to piles, "Why do you get the fun one?"

Callie shook her head at her, "Don't challenge that. She's planned every layer of that thing."

Arizona sat across from them, one leg out front of her and the other bent, foot pressing against her opposite thigh, "She's right."

Teddy looked at her, then shook her head sadly, "Arizona. It's a two years olds birthday."

"And it must go perfect!"

"Why? Its a birthday. You told me you hate birthdays."

"Because." Arizona gave a shrug and started opening packets of candy and various fillers, "Toby is a kid. He should love his birthday. And Sally always made a really big deal. She'd invite her entire mothers group and half of Ella's school and she'd bake for three days." Her voice lowered slightly, "At Ella's party, a few weeks before the accident, all the cupcakes were little frogs and her cake was made to look like an art box. Their parties are always like the ones you see on movies." Arizona was determinedly looking down as she cut wrapping paper to various sizes. "And, well, Toby just has me. I can't bake and I'm the professor of hating birthdays and I've never thrown a childs party before." She blew some hair out of her eyes, "I want him to have what he always would have had."

There was silence for a moment as Arizona kept cutting and Teddy and Callie looked at her. Callie finally leant forward, wrapping her hand around Arizona's foot. She spoke when Arizona finally looked up with her cheeks slightly flushed, "Toby's birthday will be amazing. And," She squeezed her foot, "He is _incredibly_ lucky to have you."

Arizona smiled slightly.

Teddy chimed in, "And he's getting a Thomas cake. You just didn't make him it. And let's not joke Arizona, that's a good thing."

Arizona threw a plastic whistle that Teddy easily dodged, "Hey! Don't throw your party supplies. It's not like you bought enough to fund four schools or anything."

"Teddy, I'll put you on games duty tomorrow."

Teddy widened her eyes and shut up.

Arizona looked smug, "That's what I thought."

Callie smirked and leaned over Teddy to the coffee table, topping up all their glasses. She raised hers up, "To Teddy and her date we wont mention again, to Arizona and the first birthday party she is running and to Toby, who has no idea what any of the weeks of effort means-oh, and to Ella, who is more excited than any one combined."

Arizona and Teddy laughed and they all clinked their glasses, taking a sip and settling in for a night of organising a Thomas The Tank Engine themed two year olds birthday party.

It was hours later that they all stumbled upstairs, exhausted and a little tipsy. Arizona checked on Toby and Ella while Teddy crawled past Toby's present in the guest room and fell face first on the bed and didn't move. When Arizona walked in to her room, she smiled as she saw Callie already under the covers. She brushed her teeth and crawled in to bed, happy to sleep in the sweats she'd changed in to when Teddy had arrived. Falling next to Callie she smiled as she rolled on to her side and grabbed Arizona's arm, pulling it around her and linking their fingers together against her chest. Smiling, Arizona curled around Callie's back, kissing her neck and smirking as Callie murmured sleepily.

She buried her face in to Callie's hair and fell asleep almost instantly.

What felt like only hours later, they were roused by two children jumping on her bed.

Arizona sat bolt upright, hair everywhere and squinting from the brightness, while Callie groaned, rolling on to her back and pulling the pillow over her eyes.

Arizona finally focused on Ella, holding on to Toby's hand and kneeling on the edge of the bed, both of them giggling and jumping.

"Aunty Na! You're awake and it's Toby's birthday!"

Ella looked as excited as she would on her own birthday.

Arizona rubbed her eyes, smiling at the two at the end of her bed, "It is?" She grinned at Toby, reaching forward and pulling him in to her lap, tickling him and dropping kisses all over his face and head. He squealed and squirmed until she stopped and he sat up, grinning and flushed, "Happy birthday, little man!"

He grinned, "Birfday!"

She smoothed his hair down and cupped his cheeks, pulling him in to kiss his forehead, "Yup, it's your birthday."

Ella crawled up the bed and flopped on to Callie, who made a loud "oof" noise. She lay on her over the blankets, hugging her through them, "Wake up, Doctor Callie!"

Callie pulled the pillow off her head and wrapped her arms around Ella, squeezing her so she laughed, "I'm up!"

She grinned at Toby who was sitting on Arizona's lap, "Happy Birthday Toby!"

Toby clapped his hands and then waved at Callie.

Callie smiled, "And good morning."

Arizona wrapped her arms around him and hugged him in to her, "Do you know what birthday boys get?"

He looked up at her with wide blue eyes but Ella beat him to it.

"Presents!"

Arizona looked at Ella, who was looking ecstatic, and smiled, "Yes, Toby gets presents, but he also gets birthday breakfast."

Toby grinned, "Panks!"

Arizona nodded, "Pancakes!"

He tried again, "Panks." He nodded very seriously, as if there had been a difference.

"Did I hear pancakes?"

Teddy rounded the doorway in to the room and flopped on the end of the bed, both Ella and Toby crawling over to land on her in a hug.

"Woah! Morning guys. And happy birthday Toby!"

She blew a raspberry in his neck and he squealed, crawling back giggling to Arizona, changing his mind partway and heading for Callie instead, laying on her front and snuggling in to her neck. Callie rubbed his back and he pressed his face more in to her neck.

Arizona patted his bum, sticking up in the air, "Mister Toby, how did you get out of bed?"

He giggled and wiggled more in to Callie who did nothing to discourage him.

Arizona turned to Ella with raised eyebrows when she heard a giggle come from her, "Ella?"

Ella suddenly made a serious face, trying to look innocent, "Yes?"

"How did Toby get out of his crib?"

A smile was trying to work its way on to her face as she played with Teddy's fingers, "Um-"

Arizona just looked at her and waited for her to crack.

It didn't take long and Teddy tried to cover a laugh at how quickly Arizona's 'stern' face got to Ella.

"Well I woke up and I was so excited for Toby's birthday and so I maybe went in to his room and woke him up."

Toby giggled again from where he was still pressed in to Callie and Callie poked his ribs and made him wiggle and laugh again.

"So how did he get out?"

"Uh-"

"Did you help him again?"

"Actually, no, not this time."

"So why do you look guilty?"

Ella squirmed, "I maybe, last time, helped him but he did it mostly himself and now he kind of just got himself out after I woke him up and sang happy birthday to him."

Arizona rolled her eyes, "Great. I was waiting for that."

Ella looked surprised, "You were? I'm not in trouble?"

Arizona stopped her stern look, "Not really, missy. It's normal he'd learn to get out."

Teddy wrapped her arms around Ella and tickled her, "You just helped the process Ella!"

Ella laughed and pushed Teddy's fingers away, "I'm his big sister. I'm supposed to teach him things."

Arizona smiled, "That's true. Well, lucky for _you_, Toby's present is about that."

Ella sat up and bounced, "What you get him?"

Arizona feigned thinking, "Hm, I don't know, maybe we should have breakfast before we do presents."

Ella shook her head and Toby sat up. He knew the word 'present'. Ella gave her a pleading look, "No, Aunty Na, presents!"

Toby looked from Arizona to Ella and back before pushing off of Callie's stomach, making her groan loudly in protest as a little knee sunk in, and he ended up on Arizona's lap. He knelt in it, smiling, dimples out and patted her cheek, "Na, pease?"

Arizona wrapped him up in her arms and scooted to the edge of the bed, standing up and moving him on to her hip, "Alright! Everyone to the guest room."

Ella giggled and scooted off the bed, "Don't be silly, it's Teddy's room."

Teddy looked at Callie as she finally sat up, still looking like she wanted to be asleep, "Teddy's room? I need to get me a life."

Callie threw the pillow at her as she stood up, "Just move in and admit defeat, Teddy."

"That's rich."

"What was that?"

Teddy turned, smirking, "That's rich, directed at the woman who barely sleeps here anymore from the woman who probably can't remember the last time she slept more than one night in a row at her apartment."

Callie grinned, "Shut up."

"Nice argument."

They followed Arizona, Ella and Toby to the guest room and both grinned as they heard Toby squeal. Standing behind Arizona, who was sliding a squirming and delighted Toby to the ground, they watched him run the few steps to the bed they had assembled in there to keep hidden from him.

He stopped at the end and slapped his hand against it, taking in the Thomas the Tank Engine toddler bed. It was bright blue and red and in the shape of Thomas and Arizona may have spent a lot more money on than she should have for a bed that would last him five years at a maximum.

He was smiling harder than Arizona had ever seen and he held on to the end as if not wanting to let it go and looked at her.

"Happy birthday, Toby!"

They all chorused it and Ella was bouncing and looked just as happy as Toby did, "Cool!"

"Mine?" He asked.

Arizona nodded, "It's all for you, Toby. Big boy bed!"

He smacked his hand on it again and then his smile fell. He looked from the bed to Arizona, let go of the end and toddled to the doorway. They all watched him, standing aside so he could look down the hall. He looked down, then back at his bed, then down the hall again.

He finally looked to Arizona, pointing to his doorway, "Bed!" He looked to his new bed and pointed at that, "Mine?"

He was looking at her like she was a crazy lady putting her bed in the wrong room. Arizona walked forward and scooped him up, forearm under his bottom so he was able to look at her. She nodded, "I know, it's in the guest room."

Ella's voice chimed in, "Teddy's room!"

Arizona grinned, "Teddy's room."

"Oi!"

continuing like she didn't hear Teddy, Arizona explained, "It's in Teddy's room, that was so it would be a surprise! We'll move it in to your room after your party, okay?"

He looked at her seriously for a moment as if unsure to trust her, then grinned, "Toby's bed!"

Arizona kissed his cheek. His little voice was sweet and with the hint of a lisp she found incredibly endearing, "Toby's bed. Now, breakfast?"

Ella took Callie and Teddy's hand and dragged them down the hallway. Thinking she was out of ear shot, she asked, "You're cooking though, right Doctor Callie?"

Callie looked at her and winked, and they all ignored Arizona's indignant noise behind them, "I sure am."

They made pancakes, Ella helping and Toby thinking he was helping.

Callie, Teddy and Ella all gave Toby presents in the midst of it, and once he got the idea of ripping the wrapping paper off he had a blast. Ella had gone to the shops with Arizona and chosen Toby a new backpack for day care that came with pencils and stationary inside. It was something Arizona had the sneaking suspicion Ella knew she'd end up with using herself as Toby wasn't yet big on colouring in. Teddy gave Toby a new box of toddler leggo and Callie bought him new Thomas pyjama's he tried to put on then and there, putting his legs in to the same hole and getting stuck.

As they were just sitting down to breakfast, they heard, "Hello big birthday boy!" come calling down the hallway and Toby squealed, Arizona quickly putting him down from where she had just managed to start getting him in his high chair.

He ran forward and manged to collide with Barbara just as she was entering the kitchen, "There he is!"

He was scooped up and given many kisses, Callie standing to put more batter on the stove to cook.

And then Daniel walked in and Barbara turned, smiling, to show Toby that he was wheeling in a bright green tricycle.

Sitting at the table definitely didn't happen after that.

Pancakes were consumed around playing with new toys and excited noises.

The morning passed with getting Toby's new bed in to his room, now Daniel was there to help, and dismantling his old crib. Arizona stood in the door way watching Toby sit on his new bed and smiled sadly as he grinned at her and lay down, pulling his new blanket up and over himself.

She looked down at the crib, in pieces on the floor and felt a pang in her stomach.

He was growing up.

She startled as she felt a hand cup her shoulder and she turned her head to see her father standing behind her in the door way. He was watching Toby with an odd look on his face, who was still in his bed, wriggling under the covers.

She put her hand over his and watched Toby.

"Right now, it's like I'm watching Tim when we put him in his first bed."

Arizona tightened her fingers.

She licked her lips, not used to these moments with her father, "He called me when they got Ella in her first bed, asking if it was legal to sedate kids."

Daniel actually gave a startled laugh, "Really?"

She nodded, eyes still on Toby, smiling at the memory, "It was the second week and the new freedom meant getting her to stay in her bed was a nightmare. He called saying they found her in the kitchen playing with her tea set at two am. He said that if he had to sit down and pretend to be 'Mrs Bird' in the early of the hours one more time to pacify her in to eventually going back to bed he'd scream."

"He'd do that with her?"

She nodded, "It settled after a few weeks, but Sally sent me a photo of him on the kitchen floor downstairs wearing a purple feather scarce and blurrily eating fake biscuits."

Daniel gave a small chuckle, and didn't move his hand from her shoulder.

They watched Toby get bored of what he was doing and scoot on his bottom past the small rail that ran along the edge of the bed so he wouldn't fall out, to the gap at the end. He took a moment to figure it out, but managed to slide down and grin at them triumphantly. He patted down the sheet, then turned back to them, walking up and taking Arizona's offered hand.

"Ella?" His 'l's' still came out more like 'y's'.

She smiled at him, "Want to find your sister?"

He nodded, then held out his hand to his grandfather, who gave a small smile and took it, "Ganpa."

Daniel's smile grew, and Toby tugged them both downstairs.

Arizona gave up on getting Toby down for his usual late morning rest, and instead they all sat on the front porch, watching Toby ride his trike up and down the front path while Ella followed on her scooter.

Arizona was starting to get nervous about the party. Sitting on the step sitting between Callie's legs, who was on the step above her, Arizona looked at her mother, "And you picked up the cake?"

Barbara sipped her tea, and raised her eyebrows at me, "For the third time, yes. And I bought the cupcakes I made."

"Sorry, just. What if the moms there all judge me? What if I throw a crappy birthday party?"

Teddy snorted in to her mug, "As if."

"What does that mean?"

"You spent three weeks researching toddler's birthday parties on the web, Arizona. You made lists. You bought half the grocery store and the toy store. We were up until all hours sorting the the prizes and the bags and everything." She raised her eyebrows at her. "We have checked everything off list one."

Barbara looked at them from where she was leaning next to Daniel against the railing, "List one?"

Arizona turned pink as Callie laughed, "There's three lists. Pre, during and post."

Daniel gave a laugh and Barbara turned to him, "Uh-excuse me, why are you laughing? You made an itinerary for Arizona's first week home from the hospital you expected the newborn to follow."

Callie and Teddy smothered smirks, Daniel looked embarrassed and Arizona had a smug expression on her face, "See, there's a reason I am how I am."

Barbara turned to her then, "Honey, if you expect to have time to check off a list during you're in for a horrible shock."

Arizona waved her hand, "I was at Ella's parties, there'll be time."

Barbara smirked, "You think there's time because you were being cool aunty giving awesome gifts and playing with them? Sally was running around like a headless chook ensuring soccer moms didn't bitch each other to death, that no one feel over and damaged themselves and the kids didn't implode from too much sugar." Arizona's eyes went wide and Barbara sipped her tea and grimaced, "That probably wasn't the calming thing I was meant to say."

Callie and Teddy snickered.

At one thirty they all walked to the park, except for Daniel who drove the car filled with that party supply boxes they'd packed the night before. While Toby and Ella played, they blew up balloons and hung them with streamers all over the BBQ area and Arizona smugly held her clipboard with its list and ticked items off as she unloaded them and tasks as they completed them. She looked at her mom as if to say 'see'.

Barbara walked past Callie and murmured, "Wait to see that face change when the fifteen children arrive."

Callie walked by grinning.

"What?"

Callie shook her head, pausing to kiss the back of Arizona's neck where she stood at a bench, unloading party food. She rest her chin on her shoulder for a moment, "Nothing."

across from them Bambara winked and Callie walked away before she laughed.

Come two o'clock, people were arriving and the park was becoming filled with a lot of screaming and laughter.

She'd invited some of Ella's friends from school, and pretty much the entire day care population, and pretty soon she didn't have time to even think of her list, let alone look at it. Ensuring everyone got a thank you as Toby pulled apart wrapping paper and that everyone was getting food and introductions were made, Arizona barely remembered to sit. It wasn't until Callie floated passed and pushed a couple of the cut up sandwiches in to her hand with a smile that she realised an hour had past and she hadn't sat down or eaten anything.

Games were played with the various ages of the kids clashing. The older ones who understood the rules frustrated at the younger ones who kept wanting to play with the boxes the presents came in or throw wrapping paper at each other. Prizes were handed out and there was only once incident of sugar hyped tears.

Arizona was standing over the cake, opening the box to breathe a sigh of relief that it was almost over, when Callie stood next to her. She put an arm around her shoulder and Arizona leant in to her for a moment, before looking up at her.

"Hey."

Callie smiled, "Hey. Fancy seeing you here."

Arizona laughed and dropped a quick kiss on her shoulder, taking the candle in the shape of a two she had found and placing it in the Thomas cake. She looked down at it Callie watched her, her expression soft.

"You okay?"

Arizona looked across the park, to wear Ella was patiently showing Toby how to use the bubble blower someone had bought him. She had a crowd of kids around her, all dressed in their best party dresses and clothes, mouths open as the bubbles flowed out around them.

She turned to look at Callie, "Yeah. I'm okay."

Callie nodded, "It's been a great party."

Arizona nodded, "It has."

She looked back down at the cake and Callie pushed the hair of her shoulder, fingers against her neck, "What is it?"

"For Toby's first birthday, Sally made a bunny, because he was obsessed with them. And now it's trains, but they knew about his love for those. Next year though, it'll be something new. Maybe dinosaurs. And they'll miss it." She gave a shrug and picked up a lighter, "It's all just weird."

Callie kept looking at her, hand still against her neck, fingertips soft, "But you're okay?"

This time, Arizona smiled at her, "Yeah." She lit the candle then, and looked back at Callie, "I really am."

Callie leaned forward and gave her a quick kiss.

When she pulled away, Arizona was still smiling, "Thanks for putting up with my crazy about the party."

Callie gave a shrug, "I love your crazy."

"And I love you."

Callie grinned, "Me, too."

"Ready?"

"Ready."

Arizona picked up the cake and they walked forward towards the main bench, Callie starting to sing and everyone joining in, the kids flocking to the table. Barbara picked up Toby and held him over the cake, which he stared at with wide eyes, cup cake frosting all over his cheeks. When they finished singing, Callie's arm around Arizona's waist, Ella showed him how to blow out the candles, everyone clapping and cheering and Toby looking proud even though he had no idea why.

Cake was passed out and everyone exclaimed how amazing it was and someone even congratulated Arizona on how well she had made it. Arizona didn't correct them and smiled sweetly, saying, "Thanks, old recipe."

Ella went to open her mouth and Teddy, sitting next to her, popped her hand over it and shook her head, winking, pulling her hand away to show Ella grinning. She tried to wink back at Teddy and just managed a very exaggerated blink.

By the time four rolled around, kids were starting to crash and people were drifting away. At four fifteen everyone had left, and Barbara, Daniel, Arizona, Callie and Teddy had started to pull the decorations down and clean up. With the five of them it wasn't long before it was near finished. Arizona was putting some Tupperware in a box when Barbara stepped next to her, adding a cupcake rack to it, and sliding her arm around Arizona's shoulder. Arizona leaned in to her. She watched Ella swing herself sleepily back and forth on the sing, the bright yellow party dress she had chosen covered in grass stains from playing soccer with her school friends. She turned her head to see if Toby was still where he had been the last half hour and saw him, curled up on Callie's jacket where he had put himself and fallen asleep, hands and face covered in cake. She smiled softly at him and felt Barbara's arm squeeze tighter. She turned her head and kissed her mothers cheek.

Barbara smiled at her, then her eye glinted cheekily, "How'd your list go?"

Arizona rolled her eyes, "Yes, okay, you were right."

Barbara grinned, "I'm your mother, I'm always right."

Arizona looked back to Toby and then to Ella, smiling as Callie sat in the swing next to her and started swinging, Teddy pushing Ella to get her to swing higher than Callie.

"You are."

Barbara raised her eyebrows.

Arizona gave a half shrug and kept her eyes on the swing set, "You said I could do this."

Barbara squeezed her tighter, "I am biased, as your mother, but I think you can do anything."

Arizona made a face and Barbara laughed, dropping her arm, "Let me know if you still think you're coping tomorrow after trying to keep Toby, who's having an afternoon nap, in his new bed.

Arizona groaned and Barbara chuckled, "It's Karma. When we got you in yours, you used to go in to Tim's room in the middle of the night and wake him up by patting his face. Only we clued on and tried to stop you. I could never get you back to sleep, but whenever your father was home, you became like butter. He'd pick you up and put you back in bed and read to you until you fell asleep. When he was gone you were a horror."

Arizona looked at her dad, pulling down streamers, and smiled, "I didn't know that."

"Oh, please, as a toddler you were a typical daddy's little girl."

Daniel looked over then and nodded to her when he saw them looking that way, turning back to his chore.

Arizona smiled softly and finished packing the box in front of her.

Everything packed up, Barbara and Daniel took the car back with the left overs to unpack and Teddy got a ride with them to get her car, despite it being a short walk.

She hugged Arizona good bye and turned to Callie, who was grinning excitedly until Arizona elbowed her in the ribs. Callie tried to tone it down.

Arizona smiled at Teddy, "We aren't making a big deal. But just-have some fun, okay?"

Teddy smiled and Callie wrapped her in a hug, "I'll try. That or I'll be at your house with wine in a few hours."

Arizona squeezed her shoulder, "Either one."

Teddy went to meet Barbara and Daniel at the car.

"Teddy!"

Teddy turned and Arizona grinned, "You could wear a sack and he will think you're gorgeous. Strut your stuff."

Teddy slowly grinned and rolled her eyes, walking to the car with a wave.

Callie looked at her, "Do I need to be worried about you and Teddy? That's a lot of compliments you've been throwing her." Callie was smiling playfully.

Arizona looked around, seeing that it was just them at the park, with Ella still on the swings.

She wrapped her arms around Callie's neck and kissed her, a smile on both their lips, "Not even a little bit, Calliope."

Callie grinned and kissed her again.

"If you two are going to be gross, can we go home now?"

Arizona turned her head to see Ella standing, hands on her little hips, eyebrows raised. Arizona laughed, letting Callie go, "Yeah. Let's go home."

Arizona ruffled Ella's hair and walked over to Toby, scooping him up and holding him against her chest, his head on her shoulder. He murmured but stayed asleep and in the moment, her hands rubbing his back, watching Ella take Callie's hand and grin up at her while chattering, Arizona didn't care that she had two overly tired, sugared kids to try and settle that night.

Because that's what she wanted to be doing.

She bent and managed to get hold of Callie's jacket without jostling Toby, and passed it to her, Callie smiling at her as she took it with the hand not occupied by Ella.

Ella held out her other hand and Arizona took it, the other under Toby's bottom to hold him to her. They started forward, Ella swinging their hands back and forth.

"Doctor Callie?"

"Yeah Ella?"

Callie smiled at Arizona and Arizona smiled back, both waiting for whatever request Ella had.

"You're staying tonight, right?"

"Yeah?"

"Can we have pancakes in the morning?"

Arizona laughed and Callie grinned.

"Sure."

Ella bounced happily and pulled them home faster.

####

_The End._


End file.
